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ONE.GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE YEAR, JANUARY 10TH, 2024.
FIRST MEETING WEDNESDAY AT 3:30 PM FIRST UP, WE'LL HAVE MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTON BROOM TO RECOGNIZE SYLVIA WEATHERSPOON, WBRZ, ANCHOR AND RECOGNITION OF THE ANNUAL SYLVIA'S CHOICE FOR CHRISTMAS INITIATIVE.
MAYOR BRO, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING SYLVIA WEATHERSPOON OF WBRZ.
SHE IS THE FORCE BEHIND THE SYLVIA'S TOYS FOR CHRISTMAS INITIATIVE, WHICH SHE STARTED IN 2015.
INSPIRED, UH, BY TREVOR SIMS LEGACY OF SERVICE.
SYLVIA HAS EXTENDED HER IMPACT BEYOND THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
IN ADDITION TO SPREADING HOLIDAY JOY NOW FOSTERS YOUNG PHILANTHROPISTS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS LAST YEAR, $1,200 IN SCHOLARSHIPS ENABLED 20 CHILDREN TO DONATE OVER $1,600 WORTH OF FOOD EQUATING TO 5,000 MEALS TO THE GREATER BATON ROUGE FOOD BANK.
THIS EXEMPLIFIES THE SPIRIT OF GIVING SYLVIA HAS INSTILLED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SYLVIA, YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE IS INDEED INSPIRING.
AS WE PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, WE RECOGNIZE YOUR EFFORTS IN CREATING A MORE COMPASSIONATE BATON ROUGE.
YOUR INITIATIVE NOT ONLY BRINGS JOY DURING THE HOLIDAYS, BUT ALSO CULTIVATES GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS ALL YEAR ROUND.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU MEMBERS THAT, UH, MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE SYLVIA'S, UM, TOYS, TOYS FOR CHRISTMAS INITIATIVE, SO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
YOUR WORK TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AS YOU OFTEN SAY, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE ITS POSITIVE IMPACT AND IT GIVES ME A DELIGHT TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION.
UH, JOINING SYLVIA TODAY IS OUR HUSBAND, UH, DONALD WEATHERSPOON
AND, UH, SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF MANY FAMILIES.
SHE, YOU UP, WE GONNA SLIDE OVER HERE.
AND MEMBERS OF THE METRO COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR AND, UM, THIS INCREDIBLY AWESOME RECOGNITION, WHICH IS ALSO A PRETTY HUMBLING THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR SYLVIA'S CHOICE FOR CHRISTMAS.
ALSO, UM, MY FAMILY, MY HUSBAND, AND MY CHILDREN WHO HAVE HELPED ME FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, OUR FAITHFUL SPONSORS, CHICK-FIL-A ESSENTIAL CREDIT UNION, WBRZ, AND OUR PARTNERS, ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL, ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO, UM, EVERY YEAR, UM, SORT AND TAG AND WRAP AND BAG AND DISTRIBUTE THE TOYS.
LAST YEAR, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WAS OUR BIGGEST YEAR.
IT SEEMS LIKE SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AROUND TOWN DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO TURN THEIR CHRISTMAS PARTIES INTO TOY DRIVES SHOW.
WE HAD PEOPLE FROM BRCC, THE BATON ROUGE CHAMBER OF AMER, I'M SORRY, THE BATON ROUGE CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION.
UM, SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ALUMNI AUTHOR THOMAS, AND SEVERAL LOCAL CHOIRS IN TOWN EVEN HELD A CHRISTMAS MUSICAL AND THEY RAISED MONEY TO SUPPORT SYLVIA'S CHOICE FOR CHRISTMAS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, SEVERAL BIBLE STUDY GROUPS, IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING, AND THAT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE I THINK, OF HOW OUR COMMUNITY REALLY, UM, SUPPORTS PARTICULARLY CHILDREN.
UM, I WILL JUST SAY IN CLOSING, UH, THAT THIS YEAR, SYLVIA'S CHOICE FOR CHRISTMAS IN JULY IS ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE WILL BE PROVIDING, UM, SCHOLARSHIPS, WHICH ARE SMALL GIFT CARDS THAT WE PROVIDE TO CHILDREN TO ALLOW THEM TO DO PUBLIC SERVICE TYPE, UM, EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IN MY HEART, I BELIEVE, TO SHOW CHILDREN THAT WE REALLY CARE FOR THEM, THAT THEY MATTER, AND THAT THEY CAN ALSO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS I CLOSE.
AND LISTEN, YOU ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN DECEMBER IF YOU'D LIKE, AS A GROUP TO COME AND VOLUNTEER AT THE SYLVIA'S CHOICE FOR CHRISTMAS WAREHOUSE TO HELP TAG AND SORT AND WRAP AND DISTRIBUTE TOYS.
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AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO.NEXT, UH, MAYOR PRESIDENT SHARON, WE ROOM TO RECOGNIZE THE WOMEN OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED AND RECOGNITION OF FOUNDER'S DAY, JANUARY 13TH, 1913, MAYOR BROOM.
ALL RIGHT, AS MAYOR OF BATON ROUGE AND A PROUD MEMBER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, I AM THRILLED TO HONOR OUR FOUNDER'S DAY COMMEMORATING THE 22 VISIONARY WOMEN WHO ESTABLISHED OUR ENDURING SISTERHOOD 111 YEARS AGO ON JANUARY 13TH, 1913, I EXTEND HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO OUR BATON ROUGE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE CHAPTERS FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION TO SOCIAL JUSTICE, PUBLIC SERVICE, AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, LEAVING AN INDELIBLE MARK ON OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS DAY MARKS A MONUMENTAL OCCASION FOR DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, ALLOWING REFLECTION ON THE EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO VALUES OF PUBLIC SERVICE, SISTERHOOD, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, THE ALPHA TAUGHT CHAPTER, IOTA THETA CHAPTER, BATON ROUGE DELTA ALUM ILLUMINE CHAPTER, THE BATON ROUGE SIGMA ILLUMINE CHAPTER AND BAKER ZACHARY ILLUMINATE CHAPTER EMBODIED THE ESSENCE OF SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE AND SISTERHOOD.
I WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF THE DELTAS HERE TODAY, THAT YOUR DEDICATION HAS LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON BATON ROUGE, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ONGOING EFFORTS.
OF COURSE, HAPPY FOUNDER'S DAY TO ALL MY ESTEEMED SOROS OF DELTA SIGMA THETA, AND MAY YOUR ENDEAVORS CONTINUE TO INSPIRE AND UPLIFT.
I EXTEND A SPECIAL SALUTE TO OUR BATON ROUGE DELTA ILLUMINE CHAPTER FOR THEIR REMARKABLE COMMITMENT TO SERVICE MAKING OR MARKING THEIR SECOND ANNUAL 22 DAYS OF IMPACTFUL INITIATIVES.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT IS THE CHAPTER I'M A MEMBER OF
IN TRIBUTE TO OUR 22 FOUNDERS, THE CHAPTER HAS EMBARKED ON TRANSFORMATIVE SERVICE PROJECTS IN COLLABORATION WITH VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACROSS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS, EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL ACTION.
THESE INITIATIVES ARE DESIGNED TO INTENTIONALLY SHAPE THE FUTURE OF BATON ROUGE FOR OVER 90 YEARS.
THE BATON ROUGE DELTA ILLUMINATE CHAPTER HAS BEEN A PILLAR IN ADVANCING THE VISION SET FORTH BY OUR FOUNDERS OVER A CENTURY AGO.
AND SO AS WE CELEBRATE DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITIES 111TH FOUNDERS DAY IN 2024, THE BATON ROUGE DELTA ILLUMINA CHAPTER PAYS TRIBUTE TO THEIR 22 FOUNDERS THROUGH THEIR 22 DAYS OF SERVICE.
TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WE AIM TO MAKE A DELIBERATE AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON BATON ROUGE.
THANK YOU TO THE BATON ROUGE DELTA ILLUMINA CHAPTER FOR YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND YOUR SERVICE DEED IS A TESTAMENT TO THE ENDURING SPIRIT OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED AND ITS COMMITMENT TO MAKING A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WE SERVE.
NOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT A RESPECTER OF PERSONS WHEN IT COMES TO DELTA, I'M GONNA ASK ALL OF THE LEADERS WHO ARE REPRESENTING, UH, THE CHAPTERS TO COME UP TODAY AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
UH, OF COURSE, VALTER BATON ROUGE DELTA ILLUMINE CHAPTER, CYNTHIA DUNLAP, ALPHA TOW CHAPTER, SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, DAJA ASINS, IOTA THETA CHAPTER, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, CASEY ASKEW, BATON ROUGE SIGMA ILLUMINE CHAPTER OR NICE SINGLETON BAKER ZACHARY, ELIMINATE CHAPTER.
MELISSA DRAKE, WOULD YOU ALL COME SHOW SOME LOVE TOO?
THANK YOU MAYOR WESTERN BROOME, OR AS WE SAY IN DELTA LAND, MY SOAR.
I AM CYNTHIA DUNLAP AND I HAVE THE HONOR AS SERVING AS FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE DELTA ALUM CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
WE ARE MEMBERS OF BATON ROUGE DELTA.
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ON BEHALF OF OUR CHAPTER PRESIDENT LA CONGA HILL SCOTT IN HER ABSENCE, THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF BATON ROUGE DELTA ALUMNI CHAPTER, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US THIS AFTERNOON TO PRE BE PRESENTED WITH A PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF OUR SECOND ANNUAL 22 DAYS OF SERVICE CAMPAIGN, HONORING OUR 22 FOUNDERS AS DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED CELEBRATES 111 FOUNDERS DAY IN BATON ROUGE.DELTA ALUMNI CHAPTER CELEBRATES 92 YEARS.
WE ARE PROUD TO HONOR OUR 22 FOUNDERS BY DELIVERING 22 DAYS OF BOLD SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH AN ARRAY OF PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, AND OUR CHAPTER COMMUNITY COMMITTEES FOCUSED ON DELTA SIGMA THETA'S FIVE POINT PROGRAMMATIC THRUST, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT, EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND POLITICAL AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT.
THE 22 SERVICE PROJECTS WILL MAKE AN INTERNATIONAL IMPACT ON THE GREATER BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE@BATONROUGEDELTA.ORG AND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AT BATON ROUGE DELTA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BATON ROUGE, OUR 22 DAYS OF SERVICE AND OTHER WONDERFUL POWERFUL, IMPACTFUL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS WE DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR BROWN.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, LET EVERYONE KNOW WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PICTURE AFTERWARDS AND WE'LL TAKE INDIVIDUAL CHAPTER, UH, CHAPTER PICTURE.
MY NAME IS MELISSA DRAKE AND I SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF BAKERS ZACHARY ALUMNI CHAPTER.
IT IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE.
UM, I CHAPTER SERVICES THE NORTHERN REGION OF THE EAST BAY RIDGE PARISH, BAKER AND ZACHARY.
AND WE STARTED OUR YEAR OFF WITH OUR ACTIVITIES WITH OUR COTILLION GYMS AND ACADEMY AND TEACHING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE OF TO SERVE BY DOING A SERVICE PROJECT WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERVICE WITH OUR YOUNG ADULTS AS WELL AS OUR CHAPTER MEMBERS.
WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR, UM, FOUNDER'S DAY THIS JANUARY 13TH WITH A LITTLE WELLNESS ACTIVITY FOR OUR CHAPTER MEMBERS AND SUPPORT OUR SISTERS OF BATON ROUGE DELTA WITH THE 22 DAYS OF SERVICE.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
SO GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE COUNCIL MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTON BROOME, THE COMMUNITY IN OUR SARS.
MY NAME IS CASEY ASKEW AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE IOTA THETA CHAPTER AT LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AS THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT
UM, WE WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL, UM, MAYOR, PRESIDENT BROOME, UH, FOR RECOGNIZING THE MEMBERS OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED IN HONOR OF FOUNDER'S DAY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR DEDICATION TO SERVICE AND FOR RECOGNIZING OUR SORORITY AND THE WORK WE'VE DONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR 111 YEARS.
MY NAME IS ERNIE SINGLETON AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE SIGMA ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED TO THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS MAYOR BROOM.
WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR THIS AFTERNOON.
JUST AS MY, UM, COMPADRE SAID IN THE OTHER CHAPTERS, WE ARE CELEBRATING FOUNDER'S DAY THIS WEEKEND AND BATON ROUGE DELTA HAS THE 22 DAYS OF SERVICE AND WE HAVE THE 22 ACTS OF SERVICE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 13TH, ACROSS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
WE WILL BE ENGAGING IN VOTER EDUCATION, COMMUNITY CLEANUP.
UH, WE ARE GONNA BE DONATING SUPPLIES, UM, IN TO SOME OF OUR, UM, BATTERED WOMEN'S FACILITIES AS WELL AS WORKING, UM, COLLECTING PURSES FOR THOSE WHO ARE, UM, UNHOUSED AND OTHER ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT ALL ACROSS THE CITY GOING ON IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
WE'LL ALSO BE DOING THE COMMUNITY CLEANUP OVER IN THE ZION CITY AREA AS WELL.
UM, ON SATURDAY WE'LL BE ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'LL HAVE A SHIRT THAT SAYS 22 ACTS OF SERVICE AS WE WILL BE ENGAGING IN THIS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
WE WILL ALSO BE CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDER'S DAY THIS COMING SUNDAY WITH, UH, OUR GUEST SPEAKER OF JOAN TRUMP DOOR MULHOLLAND, WHO WAS
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ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FREEDOM RIDERS, UM, AND WHO SAID WHEN WE CONTACTED HER ABOUT SPEAKING AT OUR FOUNDER'S DAY, SHE INDICATED SHE WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK TO BATON ROUGE BECAUSE THE LAST TIME SHE WAS IN BATON ROUGE, SHE WAS PUT IN JAIL.SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING HER THIS WEEKEND, UM, AS SHE SPEAKS ABOUT HER SERVICE IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OVER TIME.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE THE MEMBERS OF THE BATON ROUGE SIGMA ALUMNI CHAPTER TO PLEASE STAND.
'CAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE HERE.
AND SO WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US HERE THIS AFTERNOON AND WE APPRECIATE THIS PROCLAMATION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH YOU ALL.
I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ALPHA TA CHAPTER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR HONORING US FOR OUR 111 YEARS FOUNDER'S DAY UP ON THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE AND HOSTED IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE COMMUNITY, UH, PARTNERS, UH, LIKE DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, AND WE'LL DO OUR PICTURES, UH, AFTER WE DO THE OTHER, UM, PROCLAMATIONS.
HEY, MAYOR, IF I TAKE A PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE YES.
BECAUSE I SEE SO MANY BROTHERS FROM THE GREAT FRATERNITY OF OMEGA PSSI FIVE FRATERNITY INCORPORATED IN THE WORLD,
NOW WE JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU DO AND HONOR YOU LADIES ON BEHALF OF, UH, OF OUR FRATERNITY AND BEING OUR SISTERS.
UH, NEXT UP MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTERN BROOM TO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
THE BATON WAS DELTA ALUMNI CHAPTER IN RECOGNITION OF HIS SECOND ANNUAL 22 DAYS OF SERVICE.
YOU DID 'EM ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
NOW WE WANT MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON, WE ROOM TO RECOGNIZE, UH, BRPD, SERGEANT WALTER GRIFFIN, EAST RIDGE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DEPUTY MELVIN EDWARDS AND TISHA JACKSON, UH, IN RECOGNITION OF RESCUING A 1-YEAR-OLD GIRL, MAYOR BROOM.
MAYOR BROOM, THESE ARE SOME OUTSTANDING GENTLEMEN YOU'RE RECOGNIZING TODAY.
EVERY GREAT MAN MAY NOT BE AN OMEGA MAN, BUT EVERY OMEGA MAN IS A GREAT MAN.
SO THESE ARE TWO GREAT MEN YOU RECOGNIZE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION,
I AM STANDING BEFORE YOU MAYOR PRO TEM WITH IMMENSE PRIDE AND GRATITUDE TO RECOGNIZE TWO EXTRAORDINARY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SERGEANT WALTER GRIFFIN, AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF OFFICE DEPUTY MELVIN EDWARDS, ALONG WITH TANISHA JACKSON, WHO WITNESSED AND REPORTED THEIR HEROIC ACT AT A RECENT COMMUNITY TOY DRIVE, HOSTED BY TANISHA AND THE MONTREAL JACKSON FOUNDATION, SERGEANT GRIFFIN AND DEPUTY EDWARDS SPRANG INTO ACTION PERFORMING CPR ON A ONE-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND SAVING HER LIFE.
THEIR SWIFT AND SELFLESS RESPONSE SHOWCASED THE TRUE SPIRIT OF BATON ROUGE, A COMMUNITY THAT CARESS FOR ONE ANOTHER.
AND SO TODAY WE HONOR THESE HEROES WHOSE ACTIONS REMIND US OF THE STRENGTH THAT LIES WITHIN US WHEN WE STAND.
UNITED SERGEANT GRIFFIN AND DEPUTY EDWARDS, YOUR BRAVERY UPLIFTS US ALL ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY.
THANK YOU FOR EMBODYING THE VALUES THAT MAKE BATON ROUGE EXCEPTIONAL.
THANK YOU MS. JACKSON FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AND CONTINUING TO BE COMMITTED TO THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS.
WE LOVE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU AS WELL.
AND SO MAY WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY WHERE COMPASSION AND HERO HEROISM SHINES BRIGHTLY.
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DID ANYBODY THAT'S WHAT NOBODY WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING.THANK THANK YOU MAYOR BROOM AND OUR HAPPY EARLY FOUNDER'S DATE TO ALL THE LADIES OF DELTA SIGMA THETA.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE, UH, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN, THE RECOGNIZED WINNERS OF THE 2023 DISTRICT 10 CITY PARISH TOUR DRIVE COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
I SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
SPEAK UP MAYOR PROM ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN IN DISTRICT 10.
I STAND HERE WITH THE HEART OF GRATITUDE THANKING THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS GREAT CITY PARISH, Y'ALL.
SO GIVE IT UP FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THE REASON I HAVE THIS GRATITUDE, YOU SEE WITH TIMES LIKE THESE WHEN IT MAY NOT BE ALL THE MONEY THAT THEY NEED.
BUT THEY SACRIFICED THAT WHICH THEY HAD IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE MANY CHILDREN IN DISTRICT 10.
AND SO THERE WERE MANY, MANY TOYS.
AND WHEN I SAY DISTRICT 10, I MEAN FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END.
SO NOT JUST SOUTH BATON ROUGE, BUT FROM LSU ALL THE WAY TO SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
THAT IS DISTRICT 10, THE BEST DISTRICT THAT I KNOW.
AND SO I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.
AND SYLVIA, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WE'LL BE BUSY IN, UH, DECEMBER, SO I CAN'T HELP YOU, DARLING.
WE ALWAYS COME TO THIS AND I ALWAYS LET JEFF DO THIS.
I DON'T DO IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS A WINNER.
AND SO OUR THIRD, WE ALWAYS RECOGNIZE EVERYONE, BUT I GUESS HE RECOGNIZES THREE PLACES.
SO THE THIRD PLACE WAS OUR PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO WHO'S HERE FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE? ALL RIGHT.
AND SO OUR SECOND PLACE IS THAT, UH, BATON ROUGE AIRPORT.
I SAW THE AIRPORT GENTLEMEN THERE.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE CHILDREN, YOU MAKE SURE YOU LET THEM KNOW.
COUNCIL ROMAN COLEMAN, CAN I HAVE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE WHILE WE ARE HERE? IF YOU DON'T MIND, MAAM, LET'S GO ON Y'ALL.
I I'M TURN, I'M TURN MY TONGUE.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MIKE EDWARDS SON TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE LOUIS AND, AND LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHO HE IS BECAUSE YOU LOOKING AT HIM LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THAT IS.
SAY SOMETHING JUST REAL QUICK.
UH, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AVIATION AT THE BATON ROUGE AIRPORT.
I JUST WANT SAY, UH, THANK YOU.
I GET A CHANCE TO MEET A FEW OF YOU BEFORE THE MEETING HERE.
LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING EVERYBODY AFTER, BUT, UH, THANKS FOR THE WELCOME AND LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO WORK.
AND SO, AND NOW OUR FIRST PLACE IS THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
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AND BECAUSE THEY DO PURCHASING WHAT YOU SAY THEY OUGHT TO BE.NO, YOU MAKE SURE YOU LET, OH, THERE YOU GO.
SO LIKE, YOU ALL KNEW SOMETHING WAS GOING ON
SO JUST WANT TO TELL YOU ALL THANK YOU AND MAKE SURE, MAKE SURE, MAKE SURE YOU LET ALL OF THE REST OF THEM KNOW.
SPEAKING TO MY COUNCIL MEMBER, SIR.
SIR, I WANNA HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND I DARE NOT, YOU KNOW, COME ON, SAY SOMETHING, SOMEBODY.
SO MR.
AND SO IN ORDER TO HAVE, THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE.
AND SO FINANCE, UH, YOU JUST COME RIGHT ON BECAUSE YOU SEE, IN ORDER FOR WINNERS TO BE, YOU GOTTA HAVE FOUNDATIONS COME ON, FINANCE AND GET THIS CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT ALL THE TIME.
AND THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, OUR CONSTABLE WAS KIND OF UNDER THE WEATHER A BIT.
JACOB'S ENGINEERING, THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND GROUNDS, JOE BUTLER, CHRISTIAN DOLL DAVENPORT.
AND I REALLY WISH MS. DAVENPORT WOULD'VE BEEN HERE.
MY COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE ADAMS, DISTRICT 11.
SHE ALWAYS STARTS THIS THING OFF FOR ME.
HOW COME YOU GAVE A HUGS LAURA AND DIDN'T GET A MINE? HOW COME YOU GAVE A HERS AND DIDN'T GET A MINE? OH LORD.
DON'T INCRIMINATE YOURSELF, BABY.
UH, HUMAN RESOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST IS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
YOU GOT TO SAY SOMETHING, TELL PEOPLE.
WELL, ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ARTS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
AND SO AGAIN, I SAY THANK YOU TO ALL, ALL, ALL OF EAST BATON ROUGE'S PEOPLE.
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL HURST, TO RECOGNIZE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS OF DISTRICT FIVE COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, OR GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, SO TODAY WHAT I, I WANTED TO START A SERIES OF OF RECOGNIZING BUSINESS OWNERS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE HEARTBEAT, THE SMALL BUSINESS OF OUR PARISH, OF OUR CITY, AND REALLY OF OUR COUNTRY.
AND SO WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FIRST, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THOUGHT ABOUT THE CRIME ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THOUGHT ABOUT THE SAFE HAVENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THOUGHT ABOUT THE, THE HOPE THAT'S BEING BROUGHT TO THE HOPELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT DOES THAT HAPPEN? THAT HAPPENS IN OUR BARBERSHOPS.
IT HAPPENS WHEN WE SIT DOWN IN THAT CHAIR.
YOU HAVE A COUNSELOR, YOU HAVE A PRAYER PARTNER, YOU HAVE AN ADVISOR.
YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT WILL SOW UNTO YOU WHEN YOU CAN'T SOW UNTO YOURSELF, THAT WILL SPEAK LIFE OVER YOU WHEN YOU ARE LIFELESS.
AND SO I, I TELL EVERYBODY, MY, MY PARTICULAR BARBER RIGHT NOW, HE'LL BE RECOGNIZED TODAY AS WELL IN MY DISTRICT THAT, UM, I DIDN'T COME TO HIM FROM FOR HAIRCUT.
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GOD SENT ME TO HIM.HE IS A MAN OF GOD THAT PRAYS OVER ME, THAT WILL HAVE A PREMONITION FROM GOD AND WILL CALL ME OUTTA NOWHERE AND JUST SAY, HEY, GOD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU THIS.
AND THESE OTHER GUYS THAT I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE TODAY DO THE SAME AND CONSTANTLY SO INTO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT OTHERS COULD HAVE THAT SAME RELATIONSHIP.
SO TODAY, UM, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE A FEW GUYS, AND THIS IS ONE GUY WHO HAS HAD AN AMAZING STINT, HAS BEEN IN DISTRICT FIVE FOR HIS ENTIRE LIFE, WENT TO GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL, PLANTED A BUSINESS IN THE SAME COMMUNITY AND HAS GIVEN FREE HAIRCUTS TO THE PEOPLE, COULDN'T AFFORD 'EM.
HE SHOWS UP EVERY BACK TO SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT THE KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL WITH PRIDE, COURAGE, AND DIGNITY.
THAT NO CHILD LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE OF RESOURCES THAT WE'RE LACKING.
AND SO I WANNA BRING BRANDON GRIP GRIFFIN FROM THE HIP HOP BARBERSHOP, YOUR RESILIENCE AND DEDICATION AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER BEING THE BACKBONE OF OUR COMMUNITY, CONTRIBUTING TO GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.
YOUR HARD WORK AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT ARE TRULY COMMENDABLE.
DISTRICT FIVE PROUDLY HONORS AND THANKS YOU FOR YOUR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS AND TESTIMONY.
WHERE OF I HAVE HERE, HERE TO SET MY HANDS, MY OFFICIAL SIGNATURE AND CAUSE TO BE AFFIXED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.
THIS MIKE STANDS, THE FOLKS MAN
SO I'VE BEEN KNOWING THIS GUY FOR AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME.
HIS, UH, NEPHEW HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF MY LEGISLATIVE AIDES.
I ROAM THE HALLS OF SOUTHERN LAB WITH HIM.
I'VE SEEN HIS IMPACT GROWING FROM A WILD, YOUNG, AND UNTAMED YOUNG MAN TO BEING ABLE TO USE THAT AS A, AS A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE MEMORIES THAT HE CAN NOW SOW IN OTHER FOLKS AND TELL HIM ABOUT HIS HISTORY AND HOW TO BE A BETTER INDIVIDUAL BY USING THAT BARBER CHAIR AN OUTLET.
AND SO I WANNA BRING UP SOUTHERN LABS FINEST, UH, JEMELE JOLA FROM JEMELE'S HOUSE OF CUTS.
AND I'M GONNA SAY ONE MORE THING.
HE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE GIFT, THAT CHEAP SONG GIVING, HE HAS THAT CAPE ON AND IT'S REAL CLEAN, WHICH MEANS HE DID NOT CUT HAIR TODAY.
BUT HE ALSO TEACHES OTHER PEOPLE HOW TO USE THAT SAME TOOL.
SO HE TAKES PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT WANT TO GO THE TRADITIONAL ROUTE AND CREATES ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
UH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS IS A PRIVILEGE AND A HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, JUST TO BE RECOGNIZED AMONGST SOME OF THE GREATS IN THE COMMUNITY IS A PRIVILEGE, UM, TO YOU, MR. HURST.
WE SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
SO THIS GUY IS A, IS AN ARMOR BEARER FORCE PASTOR.
HE IS A, UH, AN ENTREPRENEUR WITH HIS OWN MILLIONAIRE CLUB, UH, CLOTHESLINE AND AGAIN, IS AN OUTLET.
SO WHEN I TELL YOU THAT THESE GUYS ARE SO VERSATILE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE BARBERSHOP IS A PLACE WHERE YOU COME, BUT YOU GET MORE THAN WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
MERCK PARKER FROM HOUSE OF STYLES 30.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR RECOGNIZING US.
THANKS MY WIFE FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE.
THANK YOU DARRYL, FOR BEING OUR BACKBONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS, UH, IN TERMS OF BARBERS IS LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS IS THE GUY THAT LITERALLY, UH, CORRECT MAKES ALL MY CROOKED PATHS STRAIGHT NEXT TO JESUS.
HE TELLS ME MY RIGHTS FROM WRONGS.
UM, HE'S MY COMMUNITY COUNSELOR.
AND I'LL TELL Y'ALL A STORY ABOUT YESTERDAY, JUST HOW I GOT, I TRY TO GET MY HAIR CUT, TELL Y'ALL THE BACKSTORY.
THE ONE WEEK I DIDN'T GET MY HAIR CUT IS THE ONE
[00:35:01]
AT THE NEWS PAPER USES EVERY TIME THEY POST SOMETHINGSO I'LL MAKE SURE I GO EVERY TUESDAY BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING AND TO JUST TALK ABOUT HOW THE BARBER CHAIR IN THE BARBERSHOP IS STILL IN MINISTRY.
WHEN I WALKED INTO THE BARBERSHOP YESTERDAY, HE HAD A GUY IN THE CHAIR WHO IS 25 YEARS OLD, WHO WAS WAITING THERE, WHO SERVED 13 YEARS IN PRISON OUT OF HIS 25 YEARS ON EARTH.
AND WHEN THE COMMUNITY WANTED SOMEBODY TO HELP THAT YOUNG MAN STRAIGHTEN HIS LIFE OUT, THEY CONTACTED THE NEXT GENTLEMAN THAT I'M GONNA BRING UP.
WE SAT THERE IN THE BARBERSHOP.
COLLECTIVELY, WE PUT A STRATEGY TOGETHER TO CHANGE THIS MAN'S LIFE.
BUT THE, THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PART ABOUT THAT ENTIRE EXPERIENCE IS THAT HE WOULD NOT LEAVE WITHOUT DOING A SALVATION PRAYER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MAN GAVE HIS LIFE TO GOD BEFORE HE LEFT THAT SHOP.
TODAY, THAT YOUNG MAN ENROLLED, UM, IN BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO BECOME A BARBER FULL RIDE.
HE ALSO WENT TO EMPLOY B AND FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION NOW AS A JOB, UH, PENDING FINAL APPROVAL.
BUT HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS NEXT GUY THAT I'M GONNA BRING UP MY MINISTER, MY BARBER, MR. BRADS, THAT WOULDN'T HAVE Y'ALL GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, I'D LIKE TO THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE.
DO THE LORD TELL ME HERE, PUT ME IN FRONT OF GREAT MEN AND WOMEN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
SO WITH THIS BEING SAID, ALL THE PEOPLE IN HERE THAT, THAT HAS DONE THE GREAT THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND I THANK YOU AND GENTLEMEN, Y'ALL STILL WE'LL GRAB A PICTURE OUTSIDE WHEN IT'S, UH, OVER AND I DO HAVE ONE SMALL BUSINESS THAT WE PLAN ON RECOGNIZING THEY GOT A COUPLE OF 'EM UP HERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA POSTPONE IT TO THE NEXT ONE.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WOMEN OF DELTA SIGMA THETA.
WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND BEGIN OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE COUNCIL MEETING.
[00:48:06]
SO[00:48:06]
TAKE YOUR SEATS.WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED MOMENTARILY.
ARE WE WAITING ON ANYBODY ELSE? I SEE.
NAH, I'M TRYING TO WAIT ON EIGHT.
[CALL TO ORDER]
GET READY TO START THE MEETING.WHAT IS THIS? HAVE YOUR HELLO EVERYBODY.
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, JANUARY THE 10TH, 2024, AND IT'S THE FIRST MEETING OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WATCHING ON FACEBOOK, ON YOUTUBE, ON OUR STREAMING WEBSITE ON COX AND ON AT T.
AND AT THIS TIME HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, COUNCILMAN LAMONT COLE, COUNCILMAN.
GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WELCOME TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED METROPOLITAN AND COUNCIL MEETING, THE FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR ON THIS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10TH, 2024.
I'M NOW GOING TO PASS IT TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL TO INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS.
UH, TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR INVOCATION LED BY MY PASTOR, FATHER MA PARTON OF ST.
JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE BY BATON ROUGE FIRE CHIEF MICHAEL KIMBALL.
GO AHEAD, FATHER, LET US PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND TURN TO OUR LOVING GOD TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE ALWAYS IN HIS PRESENCE.
[00:50:04]
GRACIOUS GOD, YOU SPOKE THROUGH THE PROPHET MICAH.YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD, OH, MORTAL WHAT IS GOOD, WHAT THE LORD REQUIRES OF YOU ONLY TO DO JUSTICE, TO LOVE GOODNESS, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD AND MIGHTY GOD.
WE KNOW YOU GIVE US EVERY GRACE TO LIVE THESE WORDS IN OUR LIVES BY BEING PEOPLE WHO TREAT ONE ANOTHER JUSTLY, A PEOPLE WHO SEE THE GOOD IN EVERY PERSON, AND LOVE THEM AS THE LORD CALLS US TO.
AND WE KNOW WE CAN ONLY DO THIS BY HUMBLY WALKING WITH THEM, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE WALKING WITH YOU, THE ONE WHO DWELLS IN EVERY HUMAN HEART.
AND FATHER GOD, YOU SHOW US HOW THIS IS TO BE DONE THROUGH YOUR SON JESUS, THE ONE WHO DID NOT BREAK THE BRUISED REED OR QUENCH THE SMOTHERING WICK.
HEAVENLY CREATOR, MAY WE LIKE JESUS, ACT WITH COMPASSION AND ALL WE DO MAY WE LIKE JESUS, MAKE MERCY OUR GOAL IN ALL OUR ENDEAVORS.
AND IN DOING SO, GRACIOUS GOD, MAY WE LEAD YOUR PEOPLE FORWARD IN YOUR CONFIDENCE.
AND LORD, SEND YOUR SPIRIT UPON ALL GATHERED HERE IN THIS CHAMBER, THAT THEY MAY MAKE ALL THEIR DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS REFLECT YOUR JUSTICE, YOUR GOODNESS, AND YOUR LOVE.
WE ASK THIS THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD FOREVER AND EVER.
MAY THE LORD BLESS THESE PROCEEDINGS IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU CHIEF, WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU AT THIS TIME.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO WELCOME REGINALD BACK.
LET'S GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WELCOME BACK AND I'LL, I'M GONNA ASK MY, UH, OUR NEWLY APPOINTED, UH, CHIEF OF POLICE TO COME AND INTRODUCE HIMSELF AT THIS TIME.
CHIEF, LET THE PEOPLE SEE WHO YOU ARE.
UH, SO WE'LL BE CHIEF OF POLICE NEXT STARTING NEXT WEEK.
UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO SWEARING IN CEREMONY NEXT WEEK ON TUESDAY AND GETTING TO WORK.
I'VE ALREADY HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING WITH, UH, A LOT OF Y'ALL.
AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE OF THE COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE, UM, AND SETTING UP A LOT MORE MEETINGS TO COME.
MIKE, YOU DON'T WANNA INTRODUCE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AGAIN, DO YOU? HE LEFT OUTTA HERE.
I GUESS WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WE WELCOME ALL THE CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES BACK.
WE'VE CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER.
ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM ITEM ONE, APPROVAL AND
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THIS SPECIAL METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 12TH, 2023 AND A METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 13TH, 2023 BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MORE.
SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.
ASHLEY, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS?
[INTRODUCTIONS]
CONDEMNATION.[CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS]
CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, LILY WOMAC.6 5 3 9 VILLAGE STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER THREE, HAZEL STERLING GIBSON AND JAMES HENRY GIBSON, 1 0 1 1 5 ME GANZER AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER FOUR, JEAN MICHAEL SESSIONS.
5 7 4 5 SOMERA DRIVE, COUNCIL, DISTRICT FIVE, HEARST, NUMBER FIVE, TERRANCE HAMILTON, 3 4 0 5 LYNDON DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE, NUMBER SIX, VALOUR, E AND WILLIAM AND LEOS WILLIAMS. 3 9 1 0 NORTH FOSTER DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE, NUMBER SEVEN, BERNARD COBO.
FIVE AND 1 3 5 7 NORTH 25TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE, NUMBER EIGHT, DONNA M. CLAY.
4 5 2 5 MONROE AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN CO.
COLE, NUMBER NINE, CHARLES RAY ANDERSON.
THE ANNUAL WEBSTER STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ AND A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS IS AN ORDER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
[00:55:01]
MOSA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HIRST.ANY OBJECTIONS? ALL ITEMS REQUIRING INTRODUCTION HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.
UH, WE NOW GO TO SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATION.
THEY'RE GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATION AS THEY ARE AND THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 AND 61.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? UH, NIKIA WHITE.
HOW YOU DOING? HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.
UM, I PURCHASED THE PROPERTY, UM, IN LATE AUGUST.
YOU KNOW WHAT NUMBER IT IS? YEAH.
YEAH, I'VE BEEN EMAILING HER OFFICE AND CALLING, I EVEN SENT PICTURES TO WHERE I'VE, UM, CLEANED IT OUT, UM, REPAIRED THE WINDOW AND, UM, REMOVED A LOT OF THE BRUSH AND DUNK THAT WAS THERE.
AND I HAVE THE PICTURES TO PROVE IT IN MY ESTIMATES FOR, UM, REPAIRS.
WE'RE GONNA DEFER IT TO LATER IN THE MEETING.
AND WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE THOSE PHOTOS IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE.
AND I, AND I, WE'LL KEEP YOU IN POINT IF YOU WANNA WAIT.
SHE, SHE'S ON HER WAY HERE, SO SHE HAS TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
I'LL LEAVE THE, UM, INFO FOR YEAH, JUST YOU CAN BRING IT TO ME.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL GET HER AND SEE HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU ASKING FOR THAT ON THAT? UM, I'M PROBABLY GONNA NEED ABOUT, WELL, I'VE BASICALLY DONE, UM, WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
THEY SAID IT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
I'VE SECURED THE BUILDING, I'VE CLEANED IT.
UM, THE REPORT SAID THAT IT WAS 50% DETERIORATION ON THE EXTERIOR WALL.
LIKE I HAVE THE PICTURES TO, TO SHOW THE REPORT.
THE ORIGINAL REPORT WASN'T ACCURATE.
SHAUNA SAYS GIVE YOU 60 DAYS ON IT AND THEN YOU GET WITH HER.
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN? UH, NUMBER 49, 30 DAYS AND NUMBER 59 90 DAYS.
ANYONE ELSE? LEMME READ THE ITEM.
ITEM 45, UH, 30 DAYS, 45, 30 DAYS.
AND I BELIEVE I'M READING CORRECTLY, THE ITEM 48 IS TO BE DELETED FROM THE AGENDA, IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT'S CORRECT.
ALRIGHT, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES.
THEY OUGHT TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS. LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY IN CASE I MISS SOMETHING.
THEY OUGHT TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 41, 44, 47, 50, 54, 55, 57, 58, 60 AND 61.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEMS 42, 45, 49 AND 51 DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
ITEMS 43 53 AND 56 DEFER FOR 90 DAYS.
AND TO DELETE ITEMS 40, 46 AND 48.
IF EVERYONE IS PLEASED, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
SO MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOR SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANY OBJECTIONS CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
NOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WILL TURN TO PAGE NINE, WILL TAKE
[62. 23-01797]
ITEM 62, CONSIDERATION OF THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM APPLICATION FOR BP, BBP SALES, LLC, BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TAX EXEMPTION APPLICATION $487,600 FOR A PROJECT LOCATED IN EASTBOUND RIDGE PARISH BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? MR. COMBS, ARE Y'ALL DOING METRO COUNCIL, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.
UM, AS LEAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY REPRESENTING BRACK, WE SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, UH, BVP.
THE PROJECT IS MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, ITEM 63 WILL BE ON THE REAL PROPERTY BOW POT, UH, WHICH I CAN ALSO SPEAK TO.
UH, THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE ROUGHLY 22 JOBS AND WITH WAGES ROUGHLY 87,000.
UH, PERSONALLY, ONCE I STARTED AT BRACK IN 2021, THIS IS ONE OF MY FIRST PROJECTS, SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THIS ONE COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
[01:00:01]
THEIR COMMITMENT TO BATON ROUGE.WE'RE IN COMPETITION WITH ALABAMA, NORTH, NORTH CAROLINA, AS WELL AS SOUTH CAROLINA AS WELL.
SO, UH, IT'S CONTINUED GROWTH IN MANUFACTURING FOR BATON ROUGE AND IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE SUPPORTED BRAC.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, AND IT'S YOUR PLEASURE.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
[63. 23-01821 ]
CONSIDERATION OF THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM ALLOCATION FROM BPO LLC BOARD OF COMMERCETHESE BEING REPAIRED BY THE COUNCIL TREASURER.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ALRIGHT, MR. COMBS ALREADY SPOKE ON THE ITEM.
I ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY PASSED A FAIR CHANCE ORDINANCE AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE HAVE HAD ANY CONSIDERATION ABOUT WHEN WE CONSIDER THESE I TIP, UH, PROPOSALS, WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE LOOKING AT WHETHER THEY ARE FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYERS AND IF THEY ARE NOT, HAVE WE CONSIDERED MAKING THAT PART OF THE PROCESS? IT SEEMS TO ME IF WE ARE GIVING AWAY TAX DOLLARS, WE SHOULD BE ASKING FOR SOME SUBSTANTIAL, UH, PROVISIONS IN THOSE PROPOSALS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT SINCE WE DO HAVE A FAIR CHANCE ORDINANCE IN PLACE, THAT IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO ASK THOSE WHO ARE ASKING THE TAXPAYERS TO SUBSIDIZE THEM TO BE PART OF HELPING US BUILD UP OUR, UH, LABOR POOL.
AND I'LL UM, CHECK WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY, SEE IF WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE AND I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU AND LET YOU KNOW.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 63 AND ALSO FAILED TO MENTION YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 62.
ANY OTHER PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 63? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, ANY OBJECTIONS ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED, WE NOW GO TO 1 0 7.
[107. 23-01832 ]
SO MR. COMBS DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT ALL NIGHT.RECEIVING A 2023 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT FOR EAST MAN RIDGE PARISH BY THE BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER.
UH, WHAT YOU NEED SOME TIME? NO.
I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TIME, I GIVE IT I SOME TIME.
BEFORE, UH, WE'LL TAKE THE REPORT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ADD COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
I'LL WAIT FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION TO ALL RIGHT, I'LL READ ANOTHER ITEM THEN.
CAN WE GET IT ON ANOTHER SCREEN? POTENTIALLY.
YOU GOT IT? I CAN KIND OF BEND.
TURN THAT MIC ON AT THE BOTTOM AT THE VERY, VERY BOTTOM.
SO THIS IS A 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW FOR EBR METRO.
WE HAVE GEORGIA PACIFIC, GUTSY INTEGER TECHNOLOGIES, INTERNATIONAL MESO AND CAPITAL CITY PRODUCE, UH, ROUGHLY 319 JOBS WERE CREATED AS A RESULT OF THAT PAYROLL UP TO 24 MILLION WHERE THE CAPEX OF OVER $211 MILLION.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, GEORGIA PACIFIC, UM, THEY ARE IN, UH, NEAR ZACHARY.
SO IT IS A MODERNIZATION OF THE FACILITY.
THE FACILITY HAS BEEN, UH, IN COMMERCE SINCE THE FIFTIES AND A LOT OF THE EQUIPMENT WAS STARTING TO BE DILAPIDATED AND THEY WERE ON THE VERGE OF POTENTIALLY CLOSING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT TO MODERNIZE THE EQUIPMENT.
AND THEY ALSO MADE A PLEDGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORKERS ALSO GOT A RAISE AS WELL.
SO THEIR SALARIES WENT UP TO ROUGHLY 75,000.
SO THAT PROJECT WILL, OR THAT FACILITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN COMMERCE AND THEY PRODUCE NORTHERN PAPER TOWELS AND UH, TOILET PAPER AS WELL.
AND SO THEN WE HAVE GUTSY THERE, ACTUALLY A LOCAL COMPANY AS WELL.
WELL, THEY'RE A LOCAL COMPANY AND THEY ARE IN GLOBAL SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY AND THEY RAISED 51 MILLION IN, UH, SEED MONEY.
THEY HAVE A PAYROLL OF 1.5 MILLION CREATING 10 JOBS, SO $100,000 SALARY JOB.
SO MORE GOOD PAYING JOBS AS WELL AS WE ARE SEEING A TREND WHERE WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW THAT TECH SECTOR AND THAT CYBERSECURITY AS WELL.
SO THAT'D BE A TREND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY TO BUILD ON IN 2024.
[01:05:01]
PLEASE.THAT'S HEADED BY KC O'BANION ON OUR TEAM.
UH, WHAT HE DOES, HE MAKES SURE HE TOUCHES BASE WITH THE LOCAL BUSINESSES ALREADY ESTABLISHED WITHIN BATON ROUGE, HELPING THEM GROW AND EXPAND AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL REGION AS WELL.
SO WE HAD OVER 150 VISITS, 120 OF THOSE VISITS BEING IN BATON ROUGE.
AND SOME, UH, WINS, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
CAPITAL CITY PRODUCE, THEY EXPANDED BY 50 JOBS AS WELL AS PLASTIC REFINING, UH, COMPANIES.
SO PLACID WAS BASED IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
THEY MOVED THEIR HEADQUARTERS TO BATON ROUGE AND THEY ACTUALLY OCCUPY AN OFFICE DOWNTOWN ON LAUREL STREET AT THE CORNER OF LAUREL AND FOURTH.
SO CAPITAL REGION AT, AT GLEN.
SO, UH, BRACK, WHILE I'M OVER EBR, WE ALSO SERVICE THE OTHER EIGHT SURROUNDING PARISHES IN THE METRO CAPITAL REGION.
SO WE IDENTIFIED ROUGHLY 543 INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS SECTORS, MANUFACTURING, ENERGY, CHEMICALS AND LIFE SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES.
35 BUSINESS OUTREACH EVENTS, WHETHER THAT BE EXISTING BUSINESSES, MARKETING AND TARGETING LEAD GENERATION, WHICH MEANS, UH, EITHER CONSULTANTS OR GOING TO CONFERENCES AS WELL.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE 52 NEW QUALIFIED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS REPRESENTING OVER 11,000 JOBS WITHIN THE CAPITAL REGION, WHICH PRODUCED, WELL, EXCUSE ME, 16.8 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
SO OUR 2024 OUTLOOK WE'RE HERE, RIGHT? AND SO LIFE AND HEALTH SCIENCES, THIS IS AN EMERGING SECTOR.
UH, THEN WE HAVE OUR TECH SECTOR, OUR TOUCHED ON, I TOUCHED ON GUTSY AS WELL AS INTEGER INTEGER TECHNOLOGIES AS WELL.
AND BTR AIRPORT, WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATION, UH, TO GO OUT AND RECRUIT FOR MORE DIRECT FLIGHTS OUT OF BATON ROUGE.
AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE NOT TAKEN THE PLEDGE FOR THE DC FLIGHT, UH, DIRECT FLIGHT OUTSIDE OF BATON ROUGE DIRECT TO DC I SUGGEST THAT YOU LOOK INTO IT, MAKE THE PLEDGE, UH, TO TAKE THAT FLIGHT.
WE ALSO HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW OUR DOWNTOWN, KNOWING THAT IT'S A VITAL PART OF OUR ECONOMY IN BATON ROUGE, IT NOT ONLY HOUSES OUR STATE OFFICES.
ALSO WE HAVE RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL.
DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE OUR LOUISIANA FUTURE ENERGY, UH, WHICH IS OUR RENEWABLE ENERGY.
WE HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND OVER THE HOLIDAYS, LOUISIANA WAS GRANTED PHARMACY, WHICH, UH, ROUGHLY NOT ROUGHLY, WHICH MATTER OF FACTLY JUST MEANS WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO, UH, GIVE PERMISSION TO, OKAY, CLASS SIX, WELL SEQUESTRATION OF, UH, FOR CARBON.
AND SO THAT GIVES US A LEG UP IN THE COMPETITION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 50 BILLION IN PROJECTS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
NO GROUND HAS BEEN BROKEN ON THESE PROJECTS YET, BUT WHAT THIS DOES, IT GIVES US A LEG UP IN COMPETITION IN TEXAS, UH, VERSUS TEXAS AND OUR OTHER NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ALSO ALWAYS HAVE OUR MANUFACTURING.
WE DO VERY STRONG WITH OUR MAN MANUFACTURING PROJECTS.
AND SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND BUILD THAT IN 2024.
EXXON MOBIL, IF YOU RECALL, UH, THAT CAME BEFORE THE METRO COUNCIL.
I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR APPROVING THAT PROJECT.
IT'S SLATED TO HAVE FINAL INVESTMENT DECISION, UH, QUARTER ONE OF 2024.
SO IT WENT THROUGH, UH, LOCAL APPROVAL, METRO COUNCIL, SCHOOL BOARD AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AS A REMINDER, THAT WAS AN ADVANCED RECYCLING FACILITY.
UH, SECOND ONE OF ITS KIND POTENTIALLY THE OTHER BEING IN BAYTOWN, TEXAS, WHICH GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFINE AND RECYCLE PLASTICS THAT WEREN'T GENERALLY ABLE TO BE, UH, RECYCLED, SUCH AS THE BOTTLE TOPS ON THOSE DESANI WATER BOTTLES YOU GUYS HAVE.
AND IT PUTS IT BACK INTO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE ISOPROPYL FACILITY, UH, WHICH IS A HIGH GRADE LEVEL ALCOHOL, WHICH AIDS IN THE MICROCHIP MANUFACTURING PRO, UH, PROCESS.
SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, BATON ROUGE, UH, STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AND THROWING OUR NAME IN THE HAT TO POTENTIALLY MANUFACTURE MICROCHIPS COULD BE HUGE FOR OUR ECONOMY, WHICH WOULD HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT TO CREATE A TON OF JOBS AND BRING SOME VERY COOL COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE SOME GREAT JOBS AS WELL.
I MENTIONED LIFE AND HEALTH SCIENTISTS SECTOR, UH, THE PRIORITIES, AGRICULTURE, TECH, BIOPHARMA AND DESTINATION HEALTHCARE WITH OUR AGRITECH, WE HAVE LSU AND THEY HAVE THE VET SCHOOL, ONE OF 33 VET SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE A BIOPHARMA, WHICH WE HAVE PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL FACILITY AND THE DESTINATION HEALTH HEALTHCARE BATON ROUGE HEALTH DISTRICT.
I ACTUALLY WAS IN SAN FRANCISCO, UM, MONDAY AND TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK, AND I I ATTENDED THE JP MORGAN HEALTHCARE SUMMIT, WHICH
[01:10:01]
BATON ROUGE HEALTH DISTRICT, UH, STEVE KUMAN, HE WAS ON THE PANEL.HE DID A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING BATON ROUGE IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GROW DO IN THAT SECTOR.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE AND LEAD TO COLLABORATION AND MORE JOBS AND, AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BATON ROUGE.
AND AS YOU'RE AWARE, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF OUR EAST BATON ROUGE ECONOMIC ASSETS.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LEAN INTO PENNINGTON, THE WATER CAMPUS, MY ALMA MATER SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UH, LSU AG CENTER, B-T-R-L-S-U REC AND THE ZOO.
AND WE HAVE MANY OTHERS, BUT THAT'S JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION FOR 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW AND I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BEFORE YOU THIS YEAR TO GET SOME MORE PROJECTS APPROVED.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? HAPPY NEW YEAR METRO COUNCIL.
QUITE FRANKLY, IS THIS REPORT BEING GIVEN IN, UH, SUMMATION OF WHAT BRECK PROVIDES TO THE PARISH AS AN AGREEMENT? I DON'T.
I KNOW WE ARE, YES, WE CONTRACT WITH 'EM.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT THIS REPORT WAS.
ONE OF THOSE IS THAT IF THIS IS BASED ON, UH, THAT AGREEMENT, CAN WE GET A BREAKDOWN OF WHICH NEW ACQUISITIONS WE GOT THAT HAD I TIP AGREEMENTS ATTACHED TO THEM? I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JOBS, WHERE THOSE JOBS FALL INTO OR ARE THEY PEOPLE THAT ARE RESIDING IN THE PARISH OR ARE THEY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT RESIDING IN THE PARISH? IF THEY ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED OR IF THEY ARE REMOTE.
SO I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW WHETHER WE ARE IN FACT INCREASING OUR TAX BASE OR ACTUALLY REDUCING OUR TAX BASE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE, UH, THE REPORT BROKEN DOWN BY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PARISH COMMIT TO BUILDING UP THE AREAS OF THE, THE PARISH THAT ARE ECONOMIC DESERTS.
AND SO I'D BE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE IF THE COMMITMENT WE HAVE WITH BRECK IS HELPING US PUSH EMPLOYMENT INTO THE AREAS WHERE WE KNOW WE NEED IT.
AND THEN LASTLY, SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT THE LOUISIANA ORGANIZATION OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS HAS A WELCOMING CITY INITIATIVE.
AND I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW ON OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IF WE ARE WORKING TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE CONCEPTS.
AND ACTIVELY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOUTHERN, WE HAVE LSU, WE HAVE A, A GLOBAL EDUCATION, UH, CENTER IF WE ARE WORKING, UH, TO DO, UH, MORE WORK TO BE A MORE WELCOMING CITY TO THOSE WHO, UH, DON'T COME FROM HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS? GO AHEAD.
UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, JOSH FOR DOING THE PRESENTATION.
I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW ON BEHALF OF ME AND CHYNA, HE SOUNDED LIKE A SOUTHERN LAB MAN.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT, MAN.
ANY ANYONE ELSE WISHING, UH, TO SPEAK ON ITEM? UH, TWO THINGS I WANT TO, UH, STATE FOR THE RECORD? YES, REVEREND ANDERSON, THE REPORT IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE AGREEMENT.
UH, BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE AGREEMENT ANY LONGER.
I'M NOT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE IT.
LESLIE, THE PRICE IS RIGHT FOR YOU.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND UH, REVEREND ANDERSON.
UH, SO YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THE CITY PARISH IS NO LONGER UNDER A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH BRAD.
UH, BUT THEY DO, WE DO HAVE AN MOU WITH THEM.
UH, AND PART OF THAT MOU DOES, UH, INCLUDE, UM, SECURING NEW NET NET NEW JOBS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, UH, RETAINING AND SUPPORTING THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING THE STARTUP AND EXPANSIONS OF SMALL BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE WOMEN OWNED, MINORITY OWNED AND VETERAN OWNED.
UH, AND SO IF THERE ARE OTHER OBJECTIVES THAT THIS COUNCIL OR EVEN REVEREND ANDERSON WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, UH, FOR US TO, UH, EXPOUND UPON AND EXPAND OUR CURRENT MOU RELATIONSHIP, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH HER.
THANK YOU JOSH FOR THE REPORT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'LL GO BACK NOW TO PAGE NINE, A RESOLUTION PROVIDING
[64. 23-01738 ]
A CANVASSING THE RETURN OF DECLARING THE RESULT OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION HELD[01:15:01]
WITH BROWNSVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18TH, 2023 FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING RENEWAL OF THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF 10 MEALS ADDED VALOR TAXED BY THE BOND COUNCIL.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HERS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.
[65. 23-01741 ]
A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE CANVASING AND RETURNS OF DECLARING THE RESULT OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION HELD IN THE ALLISON ST.EE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18TH, BUT THE PURPOSES OF AUTHORIZING 11 COLLECTION OF 10 MILLS AT VALOREM TAX BY THE BOND COUNCIL.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOW WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MOVE BY.
THE CHAIR IS THERE'RE SECOND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, JR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 65 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[66. 23-01742 ]
A RESOLUTION PROVIDED FOR THE CANVASSING AND RETURN OF DECLARING THE RESULT OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION HELD IN VILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE, LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18TH, 2023 FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING 11 COLLECTION OF 10 MEALS.AVALOR TAX BY BOND COUNCILORS.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WE'RE NOW WITH TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MANNO SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO 67
[67. 23-01700 ]
AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA TO INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICE IMPACTING THE TRANSFER OF OUR LADY OF THE LAKE ST.ANTHONY KLEIN SENT IN THE TBRA PROGRAM BY MAYOR'S OFFICE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURS SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOT ITEM
[68. 23-01704 ]
68 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RENEW THE CITY PARISH OPERATIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED FOR THE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION CAUSE OF THE COMMAND CENTRAL AWARE PROGRAM.THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $139,000 BY POLICE CHIEF.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE REVEREND ANDERSON? UH, YES AND I'M PROBABLY GONNA HAVE THE SAME COMMENT FOR SEVERAL OF THE ITEMS COMING DOWN.
I'M JUST REALLY CURIOUS IF WE HAVE LOOKED AT CONSOLIDATION OF ANY OF THESE CONTRACTS BECAUSE IT DOES FEEL LIKE SOME OF THESE ARE, ARE MORE GENERIC AND COULD BE, THERE COULD BE SOME COST SAVINGS BY DOING THEM A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS WE GO THROUGH THESE ITEMS ALL THE WAY THROUGH, I THINK, UH, ITEM 73, THAT THERE ARE SOME OF THEM THAT ARE CERTAINLY NOT SPECIFIC TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IF WE HAVE CONSIDERED WHETHER SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS WOULD BE BETTER, OUR PARISH WOULD BE BETTER SERVED, HAVING THEM CONSOLIDATED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 68? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM
[69. 23-01706 ]
69, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER TO A PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE LAW FIRM BASIL SAXON WILSON.THE CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE DURING THE ADMINISTRATIVE MUNICIPAL FIRE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.
HEARING THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION FOR THE AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED $125,000.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ASHLEY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 69.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, DID WE INCLUDE THE PROVISION TO GIVE COUNSEL NOTICE ONCE WE GET TO TWO THIRDS OF THE CONTRACT LIKE WE HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY? STOLE YOU STOLE YOUR QUESTION.
SO PREVIOUSLY WHEN WE HAD THIS CONTRACT, WE HAD, WE INCLUDED A PROVISION THAT WOULD REQUIRE MM-HMM.
ONCE WE GOT TO TWO THIRDS UHHUH
I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT WAS DONE ON THE FLOOR BY COUNCILMAN NOEL, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
SO IT WASN'T ACTUALLY IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS MADE ON THE FLOOR, AND I THINK IT WAS AGREED UPON.
IF YOU'D LIKE IT IN THERE, WE'D HAVE TO.
WHERE'D LISA AT? WE'D HAVE TO AMEND THE CONTRACT RIGHT? TO PUT THAT IN THERE.
IF THE LANGUAGE, YEAH, BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO ASK FOR IT TO BE AS LISA AS AMENDED.
LISA THINKS IT'S IN THERE ALREADY.
LOOK, I, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE A FUNCTION OF THE CONTRACT, HONESTLY.
UH, I JUST, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF WE WERE NOTIFIED ONCE WE GET TO TWO THIRDS OF THE BUILDING.
UH, I THINK THAT CAN HAPPEN FROM YOUR OFFICE, NOT NECESSARILY AS A FUNCTION OF THE CONTRACT, SIR.
IS IT IN THERE? YES, IT'S IN THERE.
ANY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE? OH, MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
IS THERE A SECOND BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
[01:20:03]
UM, MR. DODSON OR MAYBE, MAYBE MS. SMITH? I'M NOT SURE.UM, I THINK THEY'RE ATTENDING A DIFFERENT MEETING.
SO RIGHT NOW, HOW MANY, HOW MANY, UM, HOW MANY OF THESE HEARINGS, LIKE HOW MANY CASES DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? LIKE, SO WE ARE SAYING 125,000.
ARE WE BASING THAT OFF? WHAT, WHAT'S KIND OF IN THE, THE QUEUE RIGHT NOW? NO.
ARE WE BASING IT OFF OF THE LAST COUPLE YEARS? I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE TO REDUCE THIS AMOUNT.
IT, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT AMOUNT IS JUST BASED UPON WHAT THE PREVIOUS TWO CONTRACTS WERE.
UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, INDICATIVE OF WHAT, DEPENDING AMOUNT OF CASES ARE.
SOMEBODY MAY BE ABLE TO TELL ME DIFFERENTLY.
BUT LISA, THAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING TOO.
BUT I THINK IT CAME OFF, I THINK IT'S JUST THE SAME AMOUNT THAT Y'ALL WERE AGREEABLE TO THE LAST, I GUESS, TWO PREVIOUS TIMES BEFORE THIS TIME.
BUT, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF, UH, CAN, CAN TALK TO THAT.
MAY DANIELS CAN TALK TO THE UNITED CASE.
KIND OF WHAT THE CASELOAD LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW.
WHAT ARE, WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE 2024 YEAR.
SO IT IS ACTUALLY BASED OFF OF THOSE PROJECTIONS, UH, WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR, RIGHT.
ABOUT A 50 TO 60% INCREASE IN THESE CASES.
UM, AND BASED OFF OF THAT, THAT'S WHY WE ASKED FOR THE ADDITIONAL FUND.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE ANTICIPATING 78? YES.
HOW, HOW MANY, WHAT ARE WE, HOW MANY CASES IS THAT? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A, I DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF THE SCALE.
IS IT FIVE, IS IT 10? IS IT 25? UH, ROUGHLY WE SAW 20, 22 ADDITIONAL CASES, WHICH AGAIN CAME UP TO RIGHT AT 50%.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND SO, UM, AND HOW LONG DOES IT NORMALLY TAKE THESE KIND OF CASES TO WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THE, JUST ON, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE GET THROUGH THESE CASES ACTUALLY PRETTY QUICKLY.
THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE HAVING MULTIPLE INJUNCTIONS FILED.
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DEFENDED AS WELL.
UM, AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE SAW IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE SUCH AS WHERE YOU MAY ONLY INVOLVE ONE OFFICER NOW INVOLVES FOUR TO FIVE.
SO THAT IS WHERE THE INCREASES ACTUALLY COME FROM.
AND DOES EACH ONE OF THOSE, OFFICER OKAY, I SEE IT.
UM, SO I DID MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, PREVIOUSLY TO GO FROM, UM, AND, AND THESE NUMBERS MAY NOT BE EXACT, ROUGHLY 150,000 DOWN TO I THINK 78, AND IT MIGHT'VE BEEN A LITTLE MORE THAN ONE 50.
UM, WE CUT IT BACK AND WE PUT THE TWO THIRDS, UM, PROVISION IN.
UM, AND WHAT I WILL SAY ABOUT THAT IS I BELIEVE IT WORKED.
UM, WE KNOW THAT IT ABSOLUTELY CREATED A SCENARIO WHERE, UM, AND I, AND THIS WAS DIRECTLY FROM, I THINK WE ALL HEARD IT, BUT I KNOW I PERSONALLY HEARD IT FROM BRAZIL SAXE, THAT THEY WERE MORE COGNIZANT.
UM, I THINK THE PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY WAS IT, IT APPEARED THAT NOBODY WAS LOOKING AT THE DOLLARS.
UM, AS WE SAW FROM THE ORIGINAL, UH, TIME WHERE IT, IT WAS 70, I THINK IT WAS 78,000, THEY CAME TO US SAYING WE NEEDED AN INCREASE TO ONE 50.
AND ULTIMATELY WE DISCOVERED AFTER GOING THROUGH THE FILES AT THE MOMENT, THEY WERE ASKING FOR THE ONE 50.
THEY HAD ALREADY SHOT PAST IT, AND IT ULTIMATELY GOT UP TO 230,000 THAT YEAR.
AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE I SAID, WELL, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A NUMBER AND WE HAVE A BUNCH OF ATTORNEYS WHO ALWAYS SAY ALL WORDS HAVE MEANING, BUT NOBODY WAS EVEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NUMBER THAT WAS ON THE CONTRACT.
SO THAT WAS WHY WE MADE THAT DECISION AT THE TIME TO CUT IT BACK, HAVE THE TWO THIRDS PROVISION PUT IN THERE.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD CALL BY THIS BODY AT THE TIME BECAUSE IT, WE CAN SEE NOW THAT EVERYBODY IS LOOKING AT IT A LITTLE CLOSER AND BEING COGNIZANT OF THE DOLLARS BEING SPENT.
I THINK, UH, BRAZIL SAXY BROUGHT UP, UM, THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MADE SURE TO, UH, NOT SEND SOMEBODY WHEN IT WASN'T WARRANTED OR MAYBE NOT SEND TWO PEOPLE WHEN ONE WOULD DO, UM, WHATEVER MEASURES WERE POSSIBLE TO KIND OF CUT BACK ON THE SPENDING.
AND SO AGAIN, IT, IT, WE WERE THE OVERSIGHT PUT PUT THERE AND, UM, AND I THINK IT WAS, IT, IT WAS FRUITFUL.
UM, SO I DEFINITELY WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT IN THERE.
AGAIN, I SOUNDS LIKE IT'S IN THERE.
AND I THINK, UM, WHEN THEY CAME BACK THIS LAST TIME AT THE TWO THIRDS AMOUNT AND
[01:25:01]
LET US KNOW WHAT ITEMS WERE GOING ON, AND, AND I THINK WE INCREASED AND I THINK IT WAS WARRANTED BASED ON THE CASES THAT WERE GOING ON AT THE TIME.UM, IT LOOKS LIKE, AGAIN, I THINK EVEN WITH THIS NUMBER, UM, THAT THEY ARE IN FACT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE CASES THAT ARE COMING UP AND FORECASTING TO TRY TO HIT THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THE TWO THIRDS PROVISION WILL STILL BEAR FRUIT.
AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO, UM, THIS AMOUNT WHILE IT'S A HIGHER THAN, THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE, I THINK, UH, AS LONG AS IT, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF DANIELS THERE, THEY ARE TRYING TO LOOK AT WHAT'S COMING UP AND FORECASTING APPROPRIATELY.
AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS ON BOTH SIDES TO TRY TO, UH, TRULY IDENTIFY AND BUDGET PROPERLY SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR JOB AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN? UH, YES.
UH, AND I HAVE A QUESTION HERE.
WHO MAKES THE CHOICE OF THE LAW FIRM, UH, THAT THAT WOULD BE CHOSEN YOUR OFFICE OR THE CHIEF? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
TYPICALLY, IF WE HAVE AN OUTSIDE COUNCIL, THEY'RE CHOSEN BY OUR OFFICE BASED UPON A SPECIALTY OR AREA THAT'S NEEDED THAT MAY NOT BE COVERED BY A PARTICULAR OFFICE.
IN THIS INSTANCE, THIS WAS AN AREA THAT OUR OFFICE CAN AND COULD AND CAN COVER.
BUT THE CHIEF, UH, AT THE TIME THAT HE TOOK OVER OR SHORTLY AFTER HE TOOK OVER, MADE THE REQUEST TO HAVE THIS COUNCIL APPOINTED AND MADE THE REQUEST FOR THIS PARTICULAR FIRM TO BE, UH, APPOINTED AS COUNCIL.
AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BRAZIL, SAXY AND JIM, THEY DO GREAT WORK, BUT IT WAS THE CHIEFS, UH, PICK AT THAT TIME.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT AS LONG AS IT CAME OUT OF THE CHIEF'S BUDGET AND DIDN'T COME OUTTA MY BUDGET FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
AND SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU SIR.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU ALL, HERE WE ARE, WE HAVE A CHIEF TO BE ALRIGHT, A NEW CHIEF TO BE.
AND SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DEFER THIS ITEM BECAUSE THE CHIEF TO BE JT UHHUH, THAT RHYMES THAT I WOULD BELIEVE THAT HE WOULD, TJ WOULD WANT TJ, JT THE NEW CHIEF, WOULD WANT TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHO IT IS THAT HE WOULD USE AND HAVE TO, UH, WHAT LAW FIRM TO RE YOU KNOW, TO TO, TO DO HIS BUSINESS, TO TAKE CARE OF THIS SOUL.
YOU KNOW, I MAKE A, NO, I WOULDN'T WANNA ASK HIM AND PUT HIM ON THE SPOT LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW.
HE NEEDS A LITTLE TIME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
SO WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND AT THIS POINT HERE IS THAT WE DEFER THIS ITEM AND I WOULD BELIEVE THE SMART MAN THAT HE IS IN 30 DAYS, HE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION.
THERE'S A MO SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MOCH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
I, I THINK THAT PROBABLY IS, IS AN EXCEPTIONAL IDEA.
UH, SO ANDY, I, I KNOW WHEN WE APPROVED THE, WHAT IS IT, 1 25 AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, THAT WAS TO COVER THE 20 BASICALLY TO COVER THE 2023 EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAD ALREADY REALIZED WE'RE NOT GONNA, ARE WE GONNA RUN INTO AN ISSUE WHERE WE WE'RE OUTTA MONEY AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO PAY 'EM AS WE, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME CASES THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THAT THEY'LL BE DOING OVER THESE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO OUR, WELL, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T, IF THIS CONTRACT HAS NOT PASSED, WE'LL BE IN THE SAME SITUATION WE WERE IN BEFORE.
WE HAVE AN ENTITY THAT DID WORK FOR THE CITY, HAS EXPENDED TIME AND ENERGY.
OUR USUAL POLICY AS THE CITY PARISH IS IF SOMEBODY, AND THEN THEY CAN TELL ME IF I'M WRONG.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TOO MUCH THAT YOU TELL ME IF I'M WRONG.
IF SOMEBODY COUNT THE
AND SO WE'LL BE IN THE SAME SITUATION WHERE BEFORE AND THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION IF THAT LAW FIRM BRINGS IT FORWARD, WHETHER THE COUNCIL WILL BE WILLING TO PAY WHAT THEY HAVE INCURRED DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO CONTRACT.
AND I'M GOOD WITH THE DEFERRAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST AS THIS COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD, I WANT US TO ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE ALREADY NOT PAID BRAZIL SAXE ONCE AND, AND THEY WERE GOOD, GOOD, UH, GOOD FAITH WITH US AND, AND KEPT ON WITH US.
UH, I, I DON'T WANNA GET BACK INTO THAT SITUATION WHERE WE'VE HAD THEM DO A BUNCH OF WORK AND, AND WE'RE NOT PASSING A CONTRACT.
SO I DON'T, CERTAINLY, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE MOTION.
SO, UM, I HOPE WE DON'T KICK IT DOWN THE ROAD TOO FAR AND, UM, GET A RESOLUTION PRETTY QUICK.
I WANT TO, UH, COMMEND MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILWOMAN COLMAN.
I THINK SHE BRINGS UP A EXCELLENT POINT, UH, BUT UNLIKE HER, I AM GONNA CALL, UH, CHIEF MOS AND, AND WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM.
[01:30:01]
SO, MORRIS, COME TO THE PODIUM, YOUR ATTORNEY.SO I HADN'T, WE, WE'VE MET AND TALKED, I HADN'T DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE WITH YOU, BUT HAVE YOU MADE A DECISION? IS, IS THIS FIRM GONNA REPRESENT YOU? UH, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER FIRM IN MIND? UH, WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS? IS WILL THIS FIRM BE YOUR FIRM? I HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION ON IT, NO, SIR.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON SOME CURRENT CASES, INCLUDING FILING ANSWERS TO INJUNCTIONS TODAY.
SO THERE ARE STUFF THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON, BUT I HAVE NOT MADE A DECISION MOVING FORWARD, PAST, UH, WHEN I TAKE OVER NEXT WEEK.
SO I JUST DIDN'T WANNA TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, SO I WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE HEARTS AND MOUTH, BUT LET ME SAY THIS, I I, I'M NOT AGAINST THE DEFERRAL EITHER, BUT I, WHAT I ALSO WOULD OFFER UP TO CONSIDER, WE CAN APPROVE THE AMOUNT AND THE BUDGET, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, LEGAL, AND CAN THE, UH, FIRM BE NAMED, UH, LATER IF HE DECIDES TO CHANGE? NO, THAT CAN'T HAPPEN ASKING.
WELL, IF WE CAN'T DO THAT, I'M A, I'M ADJOIN DWIGHT AND HIS OBSERVATION THERE, THERE ARE SOME PENDING CASES AND I WOULD SAY THAT WE DO APPROVE AS IS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR WORK.
I I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ASK BRAZIL SAX OR ANYBODY ELSE TO WORK HOPING THAT THEY GET THE SEVEN VOTES TO GET THE MONEY WHEN WE'VE HAD EXPERIENCES WHERE THEY'VE HAD CHALLENGES, UH, GETTING SEVEN VOTES TO GET THE CONTRACT APPROVED TO GET THEIR MONEY.
SO I WOULD ASK THE BODY TO CONSIDER THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MO UH, ANDY NOW WE'RE BRINGING UP THE POINT ABOUT NOT PAYING BRAZIL'S X FEE FOR THEIR SERVICES AND EVERYTHING TODAY IS THE 10TH.
ANYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE SO FAR UP TO THIS POINT, OTHER THAN WHAT THEY'VE BILLED OUT JANUARY 1ST, 24 TO THE 10TH, THAT SHOULD BE ALL WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUDGET WISE, CORRECT? BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE IS COVERED UP IN THE LAST BUDGET.
YEAH, BUT IT, IT, IT, IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IS THAT YES, I MEAN, IN THEORY YOU WOULD WANT TO CLOSE OUT YOUR YEAR WITH THE MONEY THAT WAS THERE AND HAVE ALL YOUR BILLINGS BE COVERED BY THE AMOUNT THAT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT.
BUT IF IT WAS NOT COVERED IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT, AND THERE'S STILL OUTSTANDING INVOICES, UH, IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT STATED, THAT WOULD ROLL INTO 2024 ALONG WITH WHATEVER THEY BILLED THIS YEAR AS MONDAY, THAT THEY ARE OLD IN THEORY.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT $125,000 WOULD, WORST CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE IF WE, IF WE DEFERRED THIS FOR 30 DAYS APPROVED, AND EVEN IF, IF THE CHIEF DECIDED TO GO WITH A DIFFERENT PERSON, WE WOULD STILL HAVE $125,000 TO BACK PAY THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT AND GO FORWARD WITH, LET'S SAY IT WAS $25,000 FROM JANUARY 1ST TO THE TIME WE APPROVED THE CONTRACT, WE WOULD STILL USE THAT BUDGET MONEY TO GO BACK AND PAY BRAZIL SAXE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A LENDER CALL, BUT I I DO KNOW THAT WHATEVER WAS BILLED BY THEM, WE WOULD ULTIMATELY OWE THEM.
AND IT WOULD'VE TO COME OUTTA SOME BUDGET.
IN THEORY, IT COULD COME OUTTA WHAT WHATEVER WAS APPROPRIATED PREVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE PAID SOMEWHERE OUT OF THE BUDGET.
MS. LINDA, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, BAD AMOUNT.
AS I, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS ITEM IS A 24 CONTRACT FOR 125,000 FOR 24 SERVICE.
OKAY? 23 SERVICES HAVE TO BE COVERED UNDER THE 23 CONTRACT.
IF THE 23 CONTRACT GOES OVER, WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND AMEND THE 23 CONTRACT TO PAY FOR THAT.
SO NO, WE DON'T ROLL IT INTO THE NEW, I THINK THAT YOU ALL HAD AN ITEM THAT CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL THAT ALLOWED YOU TO DO THAT, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THE STANDARD PRACTICE IS.
WE KEEP 'EM YEAR TO YEAR, RIGHT? SO WHAT YOU COULD DO IS YOU COULD APPROVE THIS CONTRACT AND PAY 'EM FROM THIS CONTRACT, UH, FOR 24.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A CANCELLATION FOR CONVENIENCE.
THEN YOU COULD EXERCISE THAT AND THEN CANCEL THE BALANCE ON THIS CONTRACT THAT HADN'T BEEN SPENT AND THEN YOU'D HAVE MONEY FOR YOUR NEW CONTRACT WOULD BE ONE WAY TO DO IT.
GOING BACK TO THE COMMENTS MADE ABOUT THE, UH, 23 MM-HMM.
DID WE DETERMINE IT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT? I DID WE ADD IT TO THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT, WHETHER BY AGREEMENT AND IS IT, IS IT LEGALLY, UH, SET AS FAR AS THE TWO THIRDS AMOUNT? AGAIN, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AND I, AND I DON'T KNOW IF LISA'S LOOKED AT THAT, BUT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS DONE ON THE FLOOR WHEN YOU HAD
[01:35:01]
THE LAST CONTRACT.I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY PUT INTO THE CONTRACT.
I WILL TELL YOU THOUGH, AS YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN HUDSON STATED WE ABIDED BY THAT AGREEMENT AND THEY PROVIDED US NOTICE WHEN THEY WERE AT TWO THIRDS OF THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT LAST YEAR.
AND, UH, AND WE NOTIFY, I THINK, I THINK WE NOTIFIED THE COUNCIL.
I KNOW WE NOTIFIED COUNCILMAN UH, NOEL, BUT I THINK WE NOTIFIED THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WHEN THEY MET THAT TWO THIRDS, UH, MARK.
SO I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT I KNOW I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR.
ONE TO APPROVE AS IS ONE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS, WHICH IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST, WHICH IS TO, UH, DEFER THE ITEM FOR 30 DAYS.
UH, THAT MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLAN SECONDED, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, BY COUNCILMAN MCC COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MO.
UH, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THE DEFERRAL FOR 30 DAYS? ANY, ANY OPPOSITION WHERE THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION PASSES? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 70.
[70. 23-01707 ]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 70, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE OFFICE OF STATE POLICE CRIME LABORATORY AND FORENSIC SCIENCE PARTNERSHIP, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS TO PROVIDE FORENSIC LABORATORY AND DNA EXAMINATION SERVICES.THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT SHOULD NOT EXCEED 182,000.
IS THERE ANYONE, UM, BY THE POLICE CHIEF? IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? THE LAST CONVERSATION WAS VERY TROUBLING FOR A LOT OF REASONS, AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE'VE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME THAT WE WERE HAVING A TRANSITION IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I'M JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS NOT A TRANSITION PLAN PUT FORTH TO COVER ALL OF THESE CONTRACTS THAT WERE COMING UP TO COVER KNOWN ISSUES.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS ONE IS, ONE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ALREADY HAVE QUITE A BIT OF A BACKLOG.
SO IS THIS CONTRACT GOING TO COVER, UH, CLEARING THE BACKLOG AS WELL AS GOING INTO, UH, THE CASES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? BUT MY LARGER ISSUE, AND AGAIN, THIS GOES TO THE, THE CONCERN THAT, THAT COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN PUT IS THAT WE HAVE A, A MAJOR DEPARTMENT THAT IT APPEARS THAT THE TRANSITION PLAN WAS NOT DONE BECAUSE ALL OF THESE CONTRACTS HAD END DATES WHEN THEY WERE NEGOTIATED.
AND THE REALITY IS THAT ANYBODY TAKING THE HELP SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THINGS WITHOUT BEING TIED TO THE PAST BECAUSE THESE WERE NOT THEIR DECISIONS.
SO I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF CONTRACTS AND COMMITMENTS AND POLICIES THAT WE ARE ASKING A NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM TO BE TETHERED TO WITHOUT HAVING WORKED THROUGH ONE, A TRANSITION PLAN THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACE MONTHS AGO.
BUT SECONDLY, NOT CONSIDERING WHY WE ARE PUTTING FORTH THINGS THAT THEY WILL BE OBLIGATED TO DO WITHOUT THEIR INPUT.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE ARE NOT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MO TO APPROVE ITEM 70.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO
[71. 23-01708 ]
NOW TO ITEM 71.AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER TO AN OPERATING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH STAR SERVICES TO PROVIDE HVAC SERVICES FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX TO ESTIMATE THE COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE $435,000 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
THERE'S ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
AND AGAIN, MY POINT IS I CAN'T IMAGINE AN HVAC CONTRACT IS ANY DIFFERENT FROM ONE BUILDING TO THE NEXT.
I AM COMPLETELY CONCERNED THAT WE ARE TREATING THESE ITEMS AS SILOS.
THERE ARE COST SAVINGS TO BE HAD FOR CONSOLIDATING CONTRACTS, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, WE FOUND OUT WHEN IT RELATED TO SOME OF THE FACILITIES IN BOTH THE JAIL AS WELL AS THE JUVENILE FACILITIES, THESE CONTRACTS WERE LET, THAT ISN'T THE SAME THING AS THE CONTRACTS BEING OPERATIONAL.
AND SO MY CONCERN IS NOT JUST THAT WE ARE SILOING, WHICH I THINK IS NOT A GOOD WAY TO SAVE MONEY, BUT IT IS ALSO WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR WORK BEING DONE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO THE COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HIRST.
HEY, I, I I WILL ECHO SOME OF WHAT, UM,
[01:40:01]
UH, REVEREND ANDERSON SAID, AND I BELIEVE IT'S BEING WORKED ON.SO I DON'T, I I I AGREE THAT WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT THE, THE BEST, BEST PRACTICES IN PLACE, LET ME SAY THAT.
BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS I'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, JUST RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, DIRECTOR JOHNSON, WHO WAS THE FORMER INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR MAINTENANCE, IS NOW OVER FLEET LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS US TO SHARE ASSETS INSTEAD OF EACH DEPARTMENT HAVING THAT IT'S INDIVIDUAL ASSETS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE MOST IMPACT ON THE BUDGET AND ALSO THE PEOPLE.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, MR. BUTLER ABOUT SIMILAR THINGS INCLUDING THE, UH, THE, UH, DETENTION CENTER IN PRISON, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS LOOK LIKE, HOW WE DONE IN THE PAST.
AND I, IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE ON THE SURFACE, BUT I WILL, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WRONG, I CALL 'EM OUT, BUT WHEN THEY DO THE RIGHT THING, I WANT TO HAVE THAT BACK AS WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR CITY PARISH, UH, FOR, UH, A PLETHORA OF THINGS.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME ONE-OFF PROJECTS WHERE THEY ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT AND THEY DO REQUIRE THAT, UH, WE HAVE SPECIFIED DETAIL FOR THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
IT HAS TO BE BID OUT BASED ON BID LOSS.
SO, UM, I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO DO A, A BETTER JOB OF USING TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES TO STREAMLINE, BUT I BELIEVE WE ARE SOMEWHAT HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION.
THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. ANY OBJECTION? ITEM 71 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[72. 23-01709 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ATTENTION TO AN OPERATOR SERVICES CONTRACT WITH SHOTS SPOTTED GUNSHOT DETECTION TO PROVIDE GUNSHOT DETECTION SERVICES FOR THE DESIGNATED AREAS WITHIN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND EAST BAT RIDGE PARISH.THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION FOR THE AGREEMENT WILL BE $278,688 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 72? JUST GONNA PULL UP A BENCH
SO THIS WAS A PROBLEMATIC CONTRACT TO BEGIN WITH, AND NEW ORLEANS HAD IMPLEMENTED THIS KIND OF CONTRACT AND HAD SIGNIFICANT LITIGATION BEHIND IT.
MULTIPLE, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE HAD CHALLENGES WITH THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS.
AND MY QUESTION, UH, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER CONCERNS I'VE HAD IS HAVE WE DONE AN ANALYSIS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE KEEP RENEWING AND PUTTING THESE ON FOR RENEWAL WITH NO ANALYSIS AND NO UNDERSTANDING.
HAVE WE BEEN SUED AS A PARISH FOR THIS PROBLEM? DOES THIS DO WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD DO? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IF YOU ASK PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOBODY SPENDS THEIR MONEY WITHOUT DOING AN ANALYSIS.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO DEMAND FROM OUR GOVERNMENT THAT BASIC ACCOUNTABILITY, THESE RENEWALS CANNOT BE AUTOMATIC.
THERE OUGHT TO BE A REAL LOOK AT WHAT DID WE BUY? DID WE GET WHAT WE BOUGHT? IS IT EFFECTIVE OR IS IT JUST A BOONDOGGLE? BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU, IF IT'S A BOONDOGGLE, SPEND IT ON LIGHTING BECAUSE THAT'S A KNOWN BENEFIT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED SIX EMAIL COMMENTS AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 72.
COUNCIL MEMBER MADAMS. WOULD, WOULD SOMEONE FROM UM BRPD LIKE TO COME AND ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS, MR. DANIEL OR CHIEF MORSE, OR NO? GOOD AFTERNOON.
SO, SO SHOTS SPOTTED TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN AROUND, UH, BATON ROUGE SINCE 2007 ISH.
UM, WHAT WE CURRENTLY USE SHOTSPOTTER FOR NOW, UM, AGAIN, IT IS JUST NOT A BATON ROUGE.
IT MAY BE BATON ROUGE CITY POLICE AND, AND BATON ROUGE'S BUDGET, BUT IT IMPACTS GAR DIRE, IT IMPACTS, UM, THE OTHER AGENCIES SURROUNDING, UH, OUR AGENCY.
UH, WE WORK IN CONCERT WITH THOSE AGENCIES.
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME TECHNOLOGY.
UM, WHAT WHAT WE USE IT FOR IS WE PROCESS THE DATA THAT COMES IN AND WE LOOK AT IT FROM A STRATEGIC AND CREATE WEEKLY, MONTHLY STRATEGIC PLANS BASED ON THE SHOT SPOTTED DATA, UH, EVERYTHING FROM PATROL ALLOCATIONS TO INVESTIGATORY, UM, POSSIBILITIES.
UM, THE ANALYSIS, UH, LOOK, WE, WE, WE CERTAINLY WELCOME AN ANALYSIS ON DID SHOTSPOTTER PREVENT SOMETHING? DID SHOT SPOTTER SOLVE SOMETHING? BUT IN,
[01:45:01]
IN WITHOUT THAT, WE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE USE THE DATA TO DIRECT OUR PATROL STRATEGIES, INVESTIGATE.WE, WE USE IT AS AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL, UM, AND WE HAVE FOR QUITE SOME TIME AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, SO I, I WELCOME AND EMBRACE THE ANALYSIS AND, AND REPORT OF THE TECHNOLOGY.
SPECIFICALLY SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD WITH SPOT AND YOU KIND OF TELL ME WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE OR OUR EXPERIENCE AS A DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY HAS BEEN WITH IT, IS THE FALSE ALARMS AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FALSE ALARMS SENDING OFFICERS TO INTO AREAS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN, THAN OTHERWISE.
WHAT, WHAT HAVE YOU GATHERED FROM OUR USE OF FALSE ALARMS? SO, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, WE, WE SHOTSPOTTER PROVIDES US WITH, WITH REPORTS, UM, BASED ON THE ACCURACY LEVEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ADVERTISE THAT, THAT, UH, AND THEY GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO TEST THESE, THESE LOCATIONS THAT, UH, LISTEN FOR SHOTS TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT IS BEING DONE IS AN ACTUAL GUNFIRE AND NOT BACKFIRE OF A VEHICLE OR, SO IT, THERE, THERE THERE'S INTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL BY SHOT SPOTTER.
UM, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY NUMBERS OR DATA THAT SHOW I OFTEN THE, UH, ALERT ALARM WAS A FALSE ALARM? I, I CAN'T GET THE, THE, THE COUNSEL THAT THEY HAVE THAT DATA.
WE DON'T DO INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AS A DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT A JULY 4TH, IF YOU LOOK AT A NEW YEAR'S, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THE EXCESSIVE ALERTS ARE NOT GUNFIRE ARE ALL GUNFIRE, THAT SOME ARE POSSIBLY FIRECRACKERS OR, OR FIREWORKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO YOU DO AGREE WITH THE, UM, OBSERVATION THAT WAS MADE TO ME THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF FALSE ALARMS? NO, I DO NOT AGREE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FALSE ALARMS. I AGREE THAT THERE ARE POSSIBLE FALSE ALARMS. WHAT IS YOUR THRESHOLD TO SAY ABOUT THAT? I, I THINK, I THINK SHOT SPOTTER WOULD TELL YOU THAT, THAT, THAT THEIR ACCURACY IS, IS GREATER THAN 80%.
UM, I WOULD TEND TO NOT DISAGREE WITH SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
THE OTHER THING, THE PLACEMENT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY DO WE HAVE IN THE PARISH? WHERE ARE THEY SPECIFICALLY? HOW MANY IN MY DISTRICT? 'CAUSE TO DRAW A PARALLEL TO THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS, RIGHT.
WHEN I DID AN EVALUATION OF THAT, I HAD MORE IN MY DISTRICT THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICT.
I, I CAN'T TELL YOU WITHOUT LOOKING AT OUR MAPS.
EXACTLY HOW MANY ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS A WHOLE, WE COVER SEVEN, ABOUT SEVEN SQUARE MILES.
UM, WE, IT'S ALL BASED ON, ON ON, UM, HISTORICAL AND, AND CHRONIC VIOLENT CRIME.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I KNOW THERE'S AREAS OUT IN GO DIRE OUT IN GLEN OAKS OUT IN, UH, NORTH BATON ROUGE, SOUTH BATON ROUGE.
UM, IT'S RELATIVELY SPREAD OUT, BUT WHEN YOU ADD ALL OF THOSE SQUARE MILES TOGETHER, IT'S ABOUT SEVEN, SEVEN SQUARE MILES.
I KNOW A LOT OF THIS IS ON THE FLY AND YOU WEREN'T PREPARED TO TO GIVE ALL THIS, BUT LOOK, I'M GONNA CALL YOU BACK TO GIVE A REPORT ON IT.
I WANT THE MAP, I WANT THE LOCATIONS.
I WANNA KNOW HOW MANY OF 'EM NORTH OF FLORIDA I'M IN OF 'EM, SOUTH OF FLORIDA.
AND UH, THE FREQUENCY, I WANNA KNOW FALSE ALARMS, I WANNA KNOW EVERYTHING.
AND, AND IF WE, WE CERTAINLY CAN HAVE SHOT SPOTTER COME ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS PERFECT AS WELL.
I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD HELP MR. DON.
I ADD ONE THING JUST 'CAUSE I'M NOT TOO FAR FROM THE STREET AND USING THE SHOTS SPOTTER, THERE WE GO.
SO THE TECHNOLOGY IS REALLY GOOD.
SO OUR OFFICERS, THE WAY IT COMES IN, IT'S DISPATCHED.
THEY CAN ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE SHOTS ON THEIR COMPUTER AND SEE WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING INTO.
THEY KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING INTO JUST A SINGLE GUNSHOT.
THEY KNOW IF IT SOUNDS LIKE AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE.
AND SO THEY KNOW WHAT SITUATION THEY'RE GOING INTO AND THEY CAN ALSO LISTEN TO IT AND BE LIKE, NO, THAT'S JUST A CAR BACKFIRING.
AND DISPATCH CAN ALSO DO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT AUDIT CONTROL ON BIG NIGHTS LIKE JULY 4TH AND NEW YEAR'S EVE, WHERE YOU CAN PRESS PLAY AND ACTUALLY LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF IN REAL TIME.
CHIEF, YOU CUT YOUR TEETH IN EDEN PARK, WHICH IS DISTRICT WHAT? SEVEN? NO, NO.
GUAN, THAT'S HIS DISTRICT IN FIRST DISTRICT.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY SHOT SPOTTERS? YES.
I KNOW PERSONALLY I HAVE MADE ARRESTS BASED OFF SHOT SPOTTER.
UM, THE TECHNOLOGY IS SO GOOD.
SHOT SPOTTER LOCATION, THIS GPS DRIVE THERE AND THERE'S A GUY WITH A GUN STANDING ON THAT CORNER, DROPS THE GUN RUNS.
[01:50:01]
RIGHT.I'VE MADE GONE, GONE TO THE CORNER, PICKED UP SHELL CASINGS BASED OFF OF WHAT SHOT SPOTTER SAID.
I MEAN, IT IS THAT ACCURATE? AND WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE ON THE FALSE ALARMS? UH, THAT IT'S NOT THAT HIGH.
AND WHEN IT, YOU CAN, LIKE I SAID, YOU PRESS PLAY AND YOU HEAR THAT'S, THAT'S FIREWORKS GOING OFF.
AND SO WE CAN, SOME SUPERVISORS CAN CANCEL THOSE AND THEN ALSO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THE OFFICER, LIKE I SAID, THE OFFICER KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE GOING INTO.
I I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, NEIL MAY BE THE BEST ONE TO ANSWER THIS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU GUYS COORDINATE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
ARE, DO WE HAVE SHOT SPOTTERS IN THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF THE PARISH AS WELL? THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL, WE HAVE PARROT, WE HAVE SHOT SPOTTER COVERAGE IN AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OR GLEN OAKS.
BUT THE ACTUAL MICROPHONE ITSELF ARE THEY ARE, ARE THEY IN THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF THE PARISH AT ALL, OR OR ARE THEY WITHIN THE CITY AND THEY JUST HAPPENS TO CATCH THAT AREA? NO, THEY, THEY ARE DEVICES IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, I, I JUST, THIS'LL BE OFFLINE, BUT I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ABOUT, UH, THERE'S A PARTICULAR AREA WHICH OUR VILLAGE, I DISTRICT THINK, THINK REAL ABOUT WHERE AND WHAT AND HOW MANY WE MIGHT WANT TO DO THAT OFFLINE.
THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN MCC COLEMAN.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 72 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[73. 23-01710 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RENEW AND OPERATING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH EXXON ENTERPRISES TO PROVIDE CLOUD STORAGE SERVICES FOR INCAR AND BODY CAMERA VIDEO SYSTEMS TO INCLUDE TASERS AND UPDATED CRADLE POINT MODEMS TO BE INSTALLED IN VEHICLES THROUGH THE MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT.THE ANNUAL ESTIMATED COMPENSATION FOR THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED 1,380,000 BY POLICE CHIEF.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? SO I HAVE SEVERAL, UH, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS AROUND THIS ITEM.
THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, THE AGREEMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THROUGH JANUARY ONE THROUGH DECEMBER, 2024, BUT THERE'S REFERENCE TO A MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT.
IS THAT COST FACTORED INTO THIS ITEM? AND IF IT IS, WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR THIS? THE SECOND ONE I HAVE A, A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING AT SUCH A SPEED THAT I DO HAVE CONCERN.
AND AGAIN, THIS GOES TO DOING THE ANALYSIS ON THESE, UH, TYPES OF CONTRACTS.
IS THIS THE LATEST GREATEST, THE BEST USE OF DOLLARS BECAUSE SOMETHING WORKED LAST YEAR DOES NOT MAKE IT THE BEST THING FOR GOING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
AND I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT ANY CONTRACT THAT IS AROUND VEHICLES, ET CETERA, BECAUSE THAT TECHNOLOGY IS JUST CHANGING SO FAST.
SO I I I JUST CAN'T REITERATE IT ENOUGH.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THESE ARE TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND EVEN THE LAST ITEM WHERE WE'RE ESSENTIALLY LETTING OTHER PEOPLE USE IT FOR FREE WITHOUT ASKING THEM TO HELP UNDERWRITE THE COST.
SOME OF THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER YOU LIKE SOMETHING OR NOT, IT'S JUST ACCOUNTING 1 0 1.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS ON ITEM 73.
HEY, I'M GONNA ASK THE CHIEF COME TO THE MIC REAL QUICK.
SO WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS RECENTLY, UH, NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CONTRACT, BUT ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY AND HOW IT'S EVOLVED OVER TIME TO NOW WHERE IF YOU PULL OUT YOUR, YOUR TASER, IT TRIGGERS YOUR CAMERA.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGY AS A DEPARTMENT AND AS THE TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES WITHIN THOSE PRODUCTS, THEY UPDATE YOU AND ALLOW YOU TO, UM, UPDATE YOUR PRODUCT AS WELL? YES, DEFINITELY.
SO, UH, THE BODY CAMERAS SPECIFICALLY, WE DO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH AXON SO THAT WE GET THE LATEST AND GREATEST STUFF AS UPDATES COME OUT.
WE GET 'EM, UM, WITH THE CLOUD STORAGE, WITH THE CRADLE POINT, THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, ALL THAT WE HAVE THAT, THAT CONTRACT WITH THEM, THAT WE CAN GET THE LATEST AND GREATEST, UM, THE BODY CAMERAS THEMSELVES, UM, OVER TIMES THEY'VE GOTTEN BETTER.
UM, IF IT'S IN THE STANDBY MODE, IT COMES ON WHEN IT, SINCE IT'S GUNSHOTS, IT COMES ON WHEN A TASER, ANYBODY'S TASER, NOT JUST THAT OFFICER'S TASER, BUT ANY TASER IN THE AREA, LIKE BLUETOOTH, KIND OF A RANGE IS TURNED ON.
THE BODY CAMERA AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ON WHEN THERE'S LIGHTS, WHEN THERE'S SIRENS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THE BODY CAMERA AUTOMATICALLY TURN ON.
AND, AND, UH, REVEREND ANDERSON, I WAS SAYING THAT BECAUSE LIKE, WHEN WE GO TO SOME OF THESE CONFERENCES AND WE TALK
[01:55:01]
TO AXION REPS, BLESS YOU AND SOME OTHER FOLKS, AND WE SPEND A LITTLE TIME WITH 'EM, THEY'LL UPDATE US ON, HEY, WE JUST LEFT BATON ROUGE.WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THESE, UH, CHALLENGES THAT WERE HAD AND THEN HERE THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE TO SOLVE THOSE CHALLENGES.
SO JUST AS A SALES REP AND AS A BEST PRACTICE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE PARTNERS WE WORK WITH, THEY DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS AS A PART OF THEIR CONTRACT WITH US, ESPECIALLY FOR TECHNOLOGY.
THEY ALWAYS WANNA SAY THE LATEST AND GREATEST.
I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IF WE ARE PRESENTED WITH, UM, IF WHERE WE ARE IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
COUNCILMAN MCDON AND I, AND I KNOW, THANK YOU.
I KNOW, UM, REVEREND ANDERSON IS MAKING A, A, A GENERAL POINT ON ALL OF THESE ITEMS. NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO TO ONE, BUT JUST THE, THE PATTERNS AND PRACTICE OF, OF APPROVING THEM.
BUT AS SOMEONE WHO SERVED ON THE BODY CAMERA, UH, EXPLORATORY, UH, UH, PILOT COMMITTEE, UM, AXION DID A GOOD JOB.
MANY OF THESE, THESE, THESE FEATURES AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE HERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR THAT WE, UM, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY DEMANDED THAT THEY HAVE.
AND IT WAS IN PLACE, UM, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
I'M SURE THE TECHNOLOGY HAS IMPROVED AND CHANGED SINCE WE, WE LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM.
UH, ACTUALLY THE PILOT PROGRAM WAS RUNNING WHEN AND CAPTURED THE INTERACTION WITH BLAINE ALIMONY AND, UH, UH, ALTON STERLING, UH, THAT IS THE PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH CAP CAPTURED THAT INTERACTION.
SO WE WANT THIS TECHNOLOGY, UH, FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAPTURE INTERACTION BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE NEED MORE OF THIS, NOT LESS OF THIS.
AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT A REBUT TO WHAT REVEREND ANDERSON SAID.
I KNOW IT'S A, A GENERAL POINT SHE'S TRYING TO MAKE, BUT I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS AND, AND HOW IT HAS HELPED, UH, BRING TRANSPARENCY TO ENGAGEMENTS WITH PEOPLE ON THE STREET WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND I MIGHT ADD, UH, NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT, BUT NEIL AND EVEN, UH, COUNCILMAN, UM, AMAR SERVED ON THIS COMMITTEE TO FORM, UM, THE POLICIES AND, AND PUT THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE, UH, BEFORE ALL OFFICERS WERE OUTFITTED WITH IT.
SO, UM, IF A MOTION HADN'T BEEN MADE TO APPROVE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
ANY OBJECTIONS? THE ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[74. 23-01711 ]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH MATRIX INCORPORATED FOR THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SERVICES FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE POLICE APPLICANTS.THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $100,000.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM 75, AUTHORIZING
[75. 23-01712 ]
MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH DEE'S CLEANING AND JANITORIAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE JANITORIAL SERVICE AT VARIOUS POLICE DISTRICTS AND OFFICERS.THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED $75,000.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOW WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MORE BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ANY ANY OBJECTIONS WE OWE? NOW ITEM 76,
[76. 23-01713 ]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT INTO AN OPERATING SERVICES CONTRACT, PLEASE, BARR RIDGE PARISH COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT TO PROVIDE DEPARTMENT REPORT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $89,832 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? I AM GONNA AGAIN, UH, REITERATE THAT WE HAVE A FAIR CHANCE ORDINANCE.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS WITH ALL OF THESE CONTRACTORS, IF WE HAVE, UH, DONE ANY DISCUSSION OR MADE ANY, UH, RESPECTFUL, UH, PITCHES TO THEM ABOUT BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR ORDINANCE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON? ITEM, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBERS ON ITEM 76.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HU SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 77, AUTHORIZED
[77. 23-01714 ]
AM MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROU POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER TO AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WITH VIN INFORMIX, LLC UNDER THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 COMMUNITY-BASED CRIME REDUCTION GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 BY POLICE CHIEF.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN MOTIONS.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GODDE AND THE OBJECTIONS WE ORDER.
[78. 23-01715 ]
AUTHORIZED AMER PRESENT ON BEHALF OF BAR VETERANS POLICE DEPARTMENT ATTEND TO A CONTRACT WITH SERVICE WITH L POOLE UNDER THE PRGE 22 LAW ENFORCEMENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN THE AMOUNT OF $54,000 BY POLICE CHIEF.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODA.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW WITH ITEM 79
[79. 23-01716 ]
AUTHORIZED MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT A GRANT[02:00:01]
AWARD FROM THE BRYAN JUSTICE GRANT AND THE AMOUNT OF $117,860 BY A POLICE CHIEF.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? YES.
ONE IS, WHAT ITEMS ARE, ARE WE ACTUALLY, UH, PURCHASING? AND THE SECOND ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE TRANSFERENCE OF THE, UH, IS IT THE HELICOPTER? THE HELICOPTER FROM THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE? I WOULD BE VERY CURIOUS AS TO HOW THAT WAS, UH, FACILITATED.
WAS THERE A PURCHASE, MOU WHAT WAS DONE? UH, TO TAKE THAT OFF OF THE, THE PARISH'S BOOKS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WE'RE ON ITEM 79, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM 80,
[80. 23-01733 ]
CANCELLATION OF THE CONTRACT AND CNA CONSTRUCTION AND CONNECTION WITH THE MS HEADQUARTERS, PHASE TWO VEHICLE STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE BUILDING BY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WHEN I WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
[81. 23-01736 ]
AUTHORIZING TO APPROPRIATE $300,000 FROM THE AIRPORT'S CASH ACCOUNT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO BE PLACING IN THE TAXIWAY FIS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON HOUSE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE I GO ITEM 82
[82. 23-01746 ]
AUTHORIZING THE SETTLEMENT AND THE CLAIM OF THE PRO PROGRESSIVE SPECIALTY INSURANCE BY MICHAEL.THAT AIN'T HOW YOU NO, I'M JUST JOKING.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO DOWN TO ITEM
[83. 23-01767 ]
83 AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER OF DEMARCUS PICKENS VERSUS BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $800,000 PLUS COURT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $90 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $800,093, UH, BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS COULD, UM, SOMEONE FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, COME UP.
UM, MR. ROME, CAN YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN, CAN YOU TELL ME THE FACTS OF THIS, THIS CASE, WHAT HAPPENED HERE? THIS WAS, UH, A REALLY BAD AUTO ACCIDENT THAT WE WOULD CLASSIFY AS A HIGH IMPACT ACCIDENT.
UH, THE PERSON THAT WAS HURT WAS VERY, VERY INJURED, RAN UP A NUMBER OF, UH, MEDICAL EXPENSES OVER $350,000.
AND THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE ALMOST TO A MILLION, TO A MILLION AND A HALF FUTURE MEDICALS IF, IF WE WERE TO GO TO TRIAL AND THEY WERE AWARDED ALL OF THAT.
AND SO WAS THIS A, UM, IT JUST SAYS BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WAS THIS AN OFFICER THAT WAS ENGAGED IN THIS? YEAH.
THIS WAS A BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICE? YES, MA'AM.
UM, SO WHAT AFTER, BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN IN YES MA'AM.
THIS IS A PRETTY, AND, AND TO THE TAXPAYERS, IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST I I'VE ASKED Y'ALL TO PAY.
IT DEFINITELY, IT DEFINITELY MADE MY MY HEAD, MY HEAD SNAP UP.
UM, SO, UM, WHAT, MOVING FORWARD AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I MEAN, WHAT DO WE, HOW DO WE HANDLE THIS FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT WITH LIKE TRAINING? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS TO, TO AN OFFICER WHEN YOU HAVE A WRECK LIKE THIS? I MEAN, HOW IS THIS, DO THESE THINGS JUST HAPPEN OR DO WE TAKE SPECIFIC ACTIONS, DO YOU KNOW, TO, TO PREVENT THESE THINGS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE? I, I, I, AS FAR AS, UM, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE YOUR BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THAT.
I, I DOUBT MR. DOTSON WANTS ME TO ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT POLICE DISCIPLINE.
SO, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING OR DISCIPLINE TRAINING.
I'M PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT PERSON.
MAYBE THERE'S SOMEONE WITH BRPD THAT CAN HELP ME WITH THAT.
IS THERE SOMEONE WHO'S FROM BRPD HE'S WILLING TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS? CHIEF DANIELS IS ON THE WAY.
SO I, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, NO OFFICER WANTS TO BE IN A WRECK LIKE THIS.
WHAT ADMINISTRATIVELY FROM Y'ALL'S PERSPECTIVE, HOW MOVING FORWARD, HOW, UM, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU, DO YOU, IS THERE DISCIPLINE FOR THE OFFICER NUMBER ONE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS? SO YES.
EVERY A TRAFFIC CRASH ACCIDENT, WHETHER IT'S, UH, AS SIMPLE AS AN OFFICER BACKING INTO, UH, A POLE OR YOU KNOW, THE CURB AND CAUSING DAMAGE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MOST SERIOUS TO
[02:05:01]
INCLUDE FATALITIES, THEY ALL GO BEFORE A BOARD.UH, THE, THE REVIEW BOARD ACTUALLY LOOKS AT THE ACCIDENT.
UM, THEY MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHETHER THE OFFICER WAS AT FAULT OR NOT.
UM, ONCE THAT OCCURS, THAT OFFICER, HE OR SHE WILL THEN COME BEFORE NOW WE HAVE AN ESTABLISHED, UH, HEARING FOR THAT OFFICER BASED OFF OF THE, THE EXTENT OF THE ACCIDENT, HOW IT'S CATEGORIZED, UH, THE DRIVING HISTORY OF THE OFFICER, THEN PUNISHMENT OR IF IF NEEDED IS THIS IS HANDED OUT AND, AND WHAT ABOUT ADDITIONAL TRAINING OR RETRAINING? SO IN ALL OF THESE, UH, WHETHER THEY BACK INTO IT DOESN'T MATTER.
THE SEVERITY TRAINING IS A PART OF ALL, UH, TRAFFIC CRASH.
SO IT IS MANDATORY TRAINING RETRAINING AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS? YES, MA'AM.
AND I GUESS ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO HASSLE ANYBODY, BUT WE, BUT I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY DILIGENTLY TO, TO BRING NEW OFFICERS ON, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, UM, GRADUATE ACADEMIES AND, UM, AND SO WE HAVE NEW OFFICERS ON THE STREETS AND, AND IN CARS.
AND SO I DO HAVE, I DO HAVE A CONCERN, YOU KNOW, THAT WE MAY SEE MORE ACCIDENTS, UM, BECAUSE OF EXPERIENCE LEVEL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PROCEDURE WAS ON THE BACKSIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T AFFORD TOO MANY OF THESE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, YOU CAN STAY THERE.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS JOIN ME IN THIS CRUSADE AND HOLDING OUR DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE WITH THESE, UH, ACCIDENTS.
UH, PRIOR TO, YOU KNOW, ME TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, RESULTS OF DAMAGE TO RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT BREACHING PROPERTY, I, UH, HAD SEVERAL REPORTS ON, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDING TO, UH, SERVICE CALLS AND GETTING ACCIDENTS AND CAUSING BODILY HARMS TO INDIVIDUALS.
SO I, I KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THEY WORKED WITH ME ON WAS MAKING SURE THAT SUPERVISORS DETERMINE IF THE THREAT WAS HIGH ENOUGH TO RESPOND, UH, OR CREATE A CHASE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ANOTHER THING THAT CAME OUT OF IT THAT CHIEF PAUL SAID WAS DETERMINING WHETHER A HELICOPTER WAS BETTER TO UTILIZE AND RESPONDING AND FOLLOWING THE INDIVIDUAL VERSUS A VEHICLE AND PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE IN BODILY HARM.
UM, UH, WE'VE HAD AT LEAST TWO OR THREE MEETINGS ON THESE REPORTS.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU MORE ON THIS AND, UH, ANSWERING MORE QUESTIONS AND GETTING MORE TRAINING IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE NOBODY ELSE IS HURT AND HARMED BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A NUMBER, UH, SITUATIONS WHERE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS RESPONDED TO, IN MANY CASES, TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS OR, OR PETTY CRIMES, AND SOMEBODY ENDED UP HURT OR, AND SEVERELY, UH, HURT OR KILLED.
UM, SO AGAIN, I WELCOME YOU TO THIS, TO THIS, UH, CONVERSATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED CONVERSATION.
I JUST, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, UM, WE, WE ALSO NEED FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO NOT RUN FROM LAW OFFICERS FOR, I MEAN THAT'S, I MEAN, THERE'S A PIECE OF IT
SO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
DO NOT RUN FROM POLICE OFFICERS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, WITH THAT I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
IS THERE, IS THERE ENTERTAINMENT OR AN APPETITE FOR A SECOND FROM ANYONE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON? ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 84,
[84. 23-01799 ]
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED RICHARD STEIN, THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARIS OF EAST BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $52,963 AND 50 FOR A SURPLUS COURTS COURT.COURT COST IN AMOUNT OF 450 $60 AND 56 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $53,424 AND 7 CENTS BY PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[85. 23-01795 ]
TO ITEM 85, RESCINDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO COUNSEL NOTICE.AND 10 RECORDED ON MARCH 21ST, 2023.
AND THE DECISION TO ORDER RECORDED ON APRIL 14TH, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS RICHARD WALLS AND GLADYS TAYLOR.
WALLS 25 26 DAYTON STREET, REASON FOR RESCISSION OF PROPERTY WAS SOLD IN AN ADJUDICATED AUCTION AND NEW ON PLANS TO MAKE PREPARED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[86. 23-01782 ]
NOW GO TO ITEM 86.AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH NEIL SCHAFFER, INCORPORATED, EXCUSE ME, NEIL SCHAFFER, INCORPORATED FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE VR CAPACITY PROJECT RICCARDI PICKENS CONNECTOR IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $26,043 AND 60 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
[02:10:01]
TO COUNCIL MEMBER.SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? WE'RE GOING OUT.
[87. 23-01783 ]
AND MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH GWS ENGINEERING INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOUTH S SHERWOOD FOREST BOULEVARD MULTI-USE PATH, AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $17,857 91 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGEIS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 87.
SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MAD, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO 88.
[88. 23-01784 ]
THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS.THE SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE BEYOND CAPACITY PROJECT IN MCCUE ROAD AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 223,000 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAIN DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW WILL TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLES.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM 89.
[89. 23-01789 ]
AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO THE CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH MAYOR ENGINEERS LTD AND HARVEY DRIVE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $84,518 BY TRANSPORTATION DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WITH YOU TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? GO TO COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 90,
[90. 23-01791 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT EXECUTING ACT OF TRANSFER IN EXCHANGE WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTION WITH THE INTERGOVERNMENT OF COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT FOR THE TRANSFER OF PORTION OF ROUTES.BUSINESS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE? WE SHOULD SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 90.
IS ANYONE, EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM 91.
[91. 23-01792 ]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE TWO ACTS OF TRANSFER AND ACCEPTANCE WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT FOR THE TRANSFER PORTION OF ROUTE LA 4 26 O HAMMOND HIGHWAY AND LA 67 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'LL NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER'S.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE CHAIR, SECONDARY BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW ITEM 92.
[92. 23-01793 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENTS EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH SJB GROUP LLC FOR THE WARD CREEK FLOOD PLAIN ACQUISITION SURVEY PROJECT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $109,568 BY THE TRANSPORTATION DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 92? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
MAD SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.
ANY, ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO TO ITEM 93,
[93. 23-01794 ]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ISSUED CONTRACT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH CIVIL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED BY BAYOU DE PLANCHE FLOOD PLAN ACQUISITION SURVEY PROJECT, AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $89,334.IS THAT 89 MILLION? THAT CAN'T BE.
ARE WE SURE, LINDA? WE SURE? YES.
THAT'S WHAT I READ INTO THE RECORD BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTORS.
ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
[94. 23-01796 ]
AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE EAST BARREN RIDGE PARISH FIRE DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF ZACHARY FOR PROVISION OF FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES BY THE ZACHARY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FACTORY.NUMBER ONE FOR FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER ONE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS BY COUNCIL MEMBER BRANDON NOLES.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOORE, BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLES.
ANY OBJE? ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 95.
[95. 23-01803 ]
AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, HEAD START AND RYAN WHITE PROGRAMS TO ENTER TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CLAY YOUNG ENTERPRISING AMOUNT OF $110,000 BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER ANDERSON.
UH, MY SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS I, I JUST WONDER ARE WE CONSOLIDATING OR ARE WE PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER THAT ARE LIKE THINGS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE COST SAVINGS AND OTHER ADDITIONAL BENEFITS? AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A CONTRACT ABOUT MEDIA BUYS THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER AGENCIES CERTAINLY DO THAT SAME THING.
SO IT, IT IS THE SAME CONCERN I'VE HAD FOR ALL OF THESE CONTRACTS THAT ARE WE HONESTLY DOING THIS IN, IN THE MOST, UH, JUDICIOUS AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, COST EFFECTIVE MANNER.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WE SHOULD SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? GO AHEAD.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HIRST SECONDED BY COUNCILOR COLEMAN.
ITEM 96 AUTHORIZED AND MAYOR PRESENT
[96. 23-01806 ]
ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF[02:15:01]
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICE SERVICES, OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICE TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION, LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANT PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF 381,218 OWNED BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE SOME MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.
[97. 23-01807 ]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, OFFER OF OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES ENTITY, A DISCRETIONARY FUND CONTRACT WITH LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION IN AN AMOUNT OF $10,000 BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WE GO TO.
COUNCIL SOMO BY COUNCIL MEMBER HER SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MCC COLEMAN.
[98. 23-01809 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES HEAD START PROGRAM TO INSTITUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE IN THE AMOUNT OF 81,000 TO PROVIDE ONGOING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
[99. 23-01812 ]
99, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM AND THE MEND OF SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH HIV AND AIDS ALLIANCE FOR REGION TWO AND INCREASED BY $56,570 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $559,493 AND 22 CENTS BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOW WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN JR.
ABSTAINED, A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[100. 23-01814 ]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 100, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, BROWN WHITE, IN THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM TO AMEND SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT NOR AGE TASK FORCE INCREASE BY $18,530 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $354,585 69 CENTS BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 100? WE'RE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOORE, BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE'RE NOW GO TO ITEM 1 0 1
[101. 23-01815 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OF RYAN WHITE EHE PROGRAM, EXECUTED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH HEALTH ACCESS LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,000 BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE ARE NOW WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MORE BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO ADD ITEM 1 0 2
[102. 23-01829 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICE SERVICES, OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD WATER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.AND THE AMOUNT OF $136,858 BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR IS THEN ONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 2 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[103. 24-00024 ]
TRAFFIC, SIGNAL CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION INSTALLATION CONTRACTOR ERNEST P BRO ELECTRICAL INCORPORATED.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 3? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, TECHNICALLY BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO TO ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]
VERY QUICKLY.INTRODUCTION, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT FOR TECHNICAL SERVICES GROUP INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE ONSITE BROADCAST PRODUCTION PERSONNEL FOR SIX PRE-SCHEDULED MEETINGS PER MONTH HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND BEFORE OPERATIONAL TASKS OF ALL AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT.
THE CONTRACT IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $62,268 WHILE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER I, ITEM B, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE COST COMMUNICATION FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AND EXTENDED TERMINATION DATE OF SET AGREEMENT TO APRIL 30TH, 2024 BY PARISH ATTORNEY.
I NEED A MOTION TO WA THE RULES SO THE ITEMS CAN BE INTRODUCED.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANYONE HERE SPEAK ON THE MOTION, AWAY THE RULES.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO THE RULES? I NEED A MOTION TO INTRODUCE THE ITEMS. SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.
EMERGENCY ITEMS C AUTHORIZED AMER PRESENT INTO A CONTRACT WITH DEPARTMENT OFER MEDICAL SERVICES WITH INSIGHT BILLING CORPORATION.
THE CONTRACT IS FOR EMS BILLING SERVICES RELATED TO PATIENT AMBULANCE TRANSPORT.
EMS WILL PAY 6% OF REVENUES COLLECTED BY INSIDE BILLING CORPORATION BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM C? THEN THE MOTIONAL AWAY THE RULES.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTIONAL AWAY THE RULES? ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTIONAL? WEIGH THE RULES.
IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM ITSELF? WE NOW GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ITEM C HAS BEEN APPROVED TO GO TO ITEM D, AUTHORIZE AN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT FOR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER FENCING AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,418,550 BY BUILDING GROUNDS
[02:20:01]
DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE? EXCUSE ME, WE NEED A MOTION AWAY THE RULES.
SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION AWAY THE RULES? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS ON THE MOTION? AWAY THE RULES? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM ITSELF? WE NOW GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ITEM D HAS BEEN APPROVED.
ITEM E AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT AN ADDITIONAL GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY SOUTHERN CITY'S ECONOMIC INCLUSIVE INITIATIVE GRANT IN AN AMOUNT OF $15,000.
THE TOTAL FUNDING FROM THE GRANT WOULD THEN INCLUDE A PLANNING GRANT OF $5,000 IN IMPLEMENTATION GRANT OF $30,000 IN A RESILIENCY GRANT OF 15,000 FOR A TOTAL OF AWARD OF $50,000 BY THE MAYOR.
NEED A MOTION TO WEIGH THE RULES? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A MOTION AWAY THE RULES? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE MOTIONS TO WEIGH THE RULES? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM E HAS BEEN APPROVED COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE GO BACK TO PAGE 15 FOR CHANGE ORDER 1 0 4,
[104. 24-00035 ]
EXCUSE ME, ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BIDS.N-W-W-T-P LARGE DIAMETER REHABILITATION N-C-M-C-L-L-C $997,000.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.
[105. 24-00036 ]
TO ITEM 1 0 5 S-W-W-T-P TRICKLING FILTER MEDIA REPLACEMENT, UH, NC M-C-L-L-C $8,901,000.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE I'LL GO TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
[106. 23-01830 ]
NOW GO TO ITEM 1 0 6, A REPORT FROM THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTERN BRU, CHIEF MURPHY PAUL, AND SAFE, HOPEFUL AND HEALTHY ON THEIR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO REDUCE AND PREVENT VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.THE REPORT SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES, BUT SAFE, HOPEFUL AND HEALTHY BEYOND IN THE PROGRESS ON THE ROADMAP BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.
WE'LL TAKE THE REPORTS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, YOU ALL HAVE, UH, THE MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY BOOKLET THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REVIEWING TODAY.
AND JESSICA, OH, WELL, SHE'S HANDING 'EM OUT TO YOU TOO.
IT'S PAGE FIVE AND EIGHT INSIDE OF YOUR BOOKLET, BUT SHE'S ALSO GIVING YOU COPIES.
BUT WE BROUGHT SOME, UM, TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO SHARE THIS TIME WITH DEPUTY CHIEF MYRON DANIELS AS WELL TO SHARE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, I'LL BE SHARING PARISH INFORMATION, UM, AS FAR AS OUR REDUCTIONS IN GUN VIOLENCE, BUT THEN ALSO SHARING OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVES AS WELL.
AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, WE HAVE A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, UH, COMMUNITY LED SAFETY STRATEGY, AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL, EXCUSE ME, MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, AS WELL AS SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE ARE PROUD TO SHARE THAT ALL GUN VIOLENCE IS DOWN BY 34.15%.
THAT IS A PARISH WIDE NUMBER THREE 4.15 2022 VERSUS 2023.
FOR THE PARISH, WE ARE DOWN 8.57% AND FATAL SHOOTINGS AND DOWN 24.57% IN NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS.
AGAIN, THAT'S A PARISH WIDE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE.
THAT INCLUDES EAST BATON ROUGE, UH, PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I DO WANT TO YIELD THE FLOOR MOMENTARILY TO DEPUTY CHIEF DANIELS TO TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK AND SHARE COMMUNITY SAFETY.
UM, TO THE, UH, COUNCIL, JUST TO PROVIDE SOME OTHER DETAILS SPECIFIC TO THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, IN RETROSPECT TO THE TOPIC, UM, WE BEGAN THIS YEAR FOCUSING ON THREE, UH, MAIN TOPICS.
ONE WAS CRIME REDUCTION, UH, AS WELL AS INTERNAL AGENCY IMPROVEMENTS AND NON-ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
UH, WE FELT THAT ALL THREE WAS PLAYING A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE REDUCTION OF CRIME, AND THAT AS WE LEFT 2022, WE WANTED TO CONTINUE THAT
[02:25:01]
DOWNWARD TREND.UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT WE SAW, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE HAD A 21% DECREASE IN HOMICIDES IN 22, UH, THIS YEAR IT WAS OVER 17%, UM, AND TOTAL COMBINED PUT US AT 38% DECREASE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IN HOMICIDES FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WHEN WE SPOKE ON NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS, UH, THE COM THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A 22% REDUCTION AND NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS COMBINED WITH LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS PUT US AT OVER 37% REDUCTION IN TWO YEARS.
UH, ONE THING WE ALWAYS SAY IS WE'RE NOT SATISFIED, UH, EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF PEOPLE WISH THEY HAD THOSE NUMBERS, THERE, THERE STILL ARE TOO MANY, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THOSE UH, EFFORTS WERE A BIG PART OF US COLLABORATING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, ENSURING THAT WE WERE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE ISSUES, NOT ONLY SURROUNDING JUST THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF BATON ROUGE, BUT THOSE IN BATON ROUGE AS A WHOLE.
UM, FROM THE INTERNAL STANDPOINT, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW AND WE TRULY FOCUSED ON FROM THE INTERNAL, UH, POINT WAS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
OUR ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, WELLNESS AND ADVANCED TRAINING.
UM, AGAIN, THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION WAS HUGE BECAUSE AS WE SAW THE TREND AROUND THE COUNTRY, UH, BATON ROUGE, AGAIN, WAS NOT, UH, WAS NOT MISSED IN IT.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HAPPY TO REPORT, WE SAW A HUGE DECREASE IN OUR TURNOVER RATE, UM, THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US.
UM, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE TURNOVER RATE TO THE POINT WHERE THE NUMBERS NOW LOOK AS THEY DID PRIOR TO 2017.
SO AGAIN, AND THEN THE LAST FOCUS WAS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND, UM, ALWAYS YOU'RE GONNA SEE BAT ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT EVERY EVENT THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY BE A PART OF.
LAST YEAR, WE, WE PARTICIPATED IN OVER 450 EVENTS.
AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU COMBINE, UH, THE ENFORCEMENT WITH THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS THE NON-ENFORCEMENT AND WORKING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE COMMUNITY, I THINK YOU SEE THE TREND THAT YOU, AS YOU HAVE CONTINUED TO SEE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE WE ARE IMPROVING, UH, QUITE A BIT, UH, WITHIN OUR AGENCY AND MAKING OUR CITY SAFER.
UM, SO AS DEPUTY CHIEF DANIELS TALKED ABOUT, UH, WITH THE COLLABORATION WITH ALL OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, THE PARISH HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING IN A PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIP.
YOU ALL HAVE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THIS.
EAST BATON ROUGE GUN VIOLENCE COLLABORATIVE THAT INCLUDES ALL OF YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AS WELL AS SAFE, HOPEFUL, HEALTHY, UH, TRUCE AS A PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION AS WELL.
AND THEN SAFE B HAS NOW BEEN ADDED TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THAT, UM, FOLD.
THERE ARE FOUR MAIN GOALS THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, TO ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE, PARTICULARLY IN THE PARISH.
GOAL ONE IS TO CONDUCT OUTREACH TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE, MAKING SURE WE'RE PROVIDING THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR A DIFFERENT PATH IN LIFE, AND ALSO INVESTING IN COMMUNITY LED STRATEGIES.
GOAL TWO IS TO PRIORITIZE GUN CRIMES AND HIGH RISK OFFENDERS WHEN PROSECUTING CRIMINAL CASES IN DISTRICT AND LOCAL COURTS.
THAT'S FROM OUR JUDICIAL BRANCH AND THE DA'S OFFICE.
GOAL THREE IS TO ADDRESS BLIGHT AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO GUN VIOLENCE IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND GOAL FOUR IS TO UTILIZE DATA TECHNOLOGY AND INTELLIGENCE SHARING AND PROACTIVE POLICING RESOURCES FOR VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS AND LOCATIONS.
SO THE NEXT THING THAT I'M GONNA SHARE IS PARTICULARLY FROM SAFE, HOPEFUL HEALTHY, WHICH IS OUR CITY-BASED INITIATIVE.
UM, OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT YOU ALL HAVE SO GRACIOUSLY CONTINUED TO FUND AND SUPPORT SOME OF THE MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO HERE FOR SOME OF THE WORK IS TRUCE, WHICH IS OUR, UH, GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION STRATEGY.
THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE STRATEGY BECAUSE WHAT THEY DO IS ESSENTIALLY LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE JUSTICE INVOLVED OR MAYBE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN GROUP ACTIVITIES.
THEY WORK WITH THE DA'S OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THESE GROUPS AND ALSO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO ACTIVITIES, ACTIVITIES LIKE, UH, MEDIATIONS INTERVENTIONS, AND PARTICULARLY CALL-INS.
SO, TRUCES DATA FOR THE YEAR HAS BEEN 106 CLIENTS SERVED THROUGH CASE MANAGEMENT AND 22 INTERVENTIONS, PREVENTIONS
[02:30:01]
OR MEDIATIONS IN 2023.ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IS THE SOMEONE ALWAYS CARES FOUNDATION, WHICH HOSTED A SUMMER PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY GEARED TO, TO YOUTH WHO HAD A COURT ORDERED REFERRAL DURING THE SUMMER.
THEY PROVIDED 600 HOURS OF LIFE SKILLS AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, AND THEY HAD 180 YOUTH DELINQUENCY PREVENTION SERVICES THAT WERE PROVIDED.
THIS IS ALL SUMMER DATA FOR SOMEONE ALWAYS CARES FOUNDATION.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE 100 BLACK MEN FROM NOT FROM THIS HOUSE PROGRAM.
IT'S A PROGRAM INFORMED BY THE DA'S OFFICE WHERE YOUTH CAN AVOID PERMANENT INFRACTIONS BEING PLACED ON THEIR RECORD IF THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE SKILLS-BASED TRAINING ALONG WITH PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT.
SO THEIR PARENTS ALSO HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR THAT PROGRAM THAT'S ADMINISTERED BY 100 BLACK MEN.
THERE ARE 203 UNIQUE, UH, YOUTH PARTICIPANTS THAT ENGAGE WITHIN THAT WITH 43 PARENTAL WORKSHOPS AND ENGAGEMENT.
WE THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT THE FAMILY AND PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT IS A MAJOR KEY, UH, FOR SOME OF THESE YOUTH THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
ADDITIONALLY, FOR THE SUMMER OF HOPE, WE SAW THAT THERE WAS A STRONG DOWNWARD TREND IN FATAL AND NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS DURING THE 2023 SUMMER OF HOPE INITIATIVE THAT HAPPENED FROM, UH, MAY 27TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 8TH.
SO WE WENT ESSENTIALLY FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY WITH A LARGE SET OF ACTIVITIES.
WHILE THERE'S NO TRUE CONCLUSION OR CAUSATION THAT CAN BE FOUND WITH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSITIVE ACTIVITIES AND GUN VIOLENCE, WE KEEP SEEING THIS TREND THAT IF WE'RE DOING THREE TO FIVE ACTIVITIES WITHIN CERTAIN PLACE-BASED AREAS IDENTIFIED BY BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE ARE SEEING TWO TO THREE WEEKS OF DECREASED ACTIVITIES HAPPENING WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
SO, OF COURSE, UH, IF THE DATA IS PROVING YOU RIGHT, WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
SO ANOTHER MAJOR PART OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR WAS A SAFE HOPEFUL CLASSROOM INITIATIVE THAT'S ADMINISTERED BY BIG BUDDY.
THERE WERE 225 PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS FOR NINTH GRADERS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS.
UH, THE SCHOOLS THAT WE WORK IN FOR THOSE AS 1,179 PARTICIPANTS THAT DID THAT OVER THE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT'S AT ESMA, SCOTLANDVILLE, GLEN OAKS, TARA BROADMOOR, AND MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOLS.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE, UH, IDENTIFIED BY HIGH RISK AREAS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THOSE SCHOOLS OR ACTIVITY THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SEES THAT IS CONCERNING, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO POTENTIAL GUN VIOLENCE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WHAT I WANNA SHARE IS OUR COMMUNITY INTERVENTION STRATEGY WITH OUR SAFE, HOPEFUL HEALTHY NETWORK THAT INCLUDES AGILE PLANNING SOLUTIONS, THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY STREET TEAM THAT OPERATES IN 7 0 8, 0 2 AND 7 0 8 0 5.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S ALSO BEEN TWO OR THREE INTERVENTIONISTS WITHIN EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS THAT WE'VE HAD WORKING AS WELL.
AND IN SEPTEMBER WE BROUGHT ON FIVE INTERVENTIONISTS THAT WORK WITH SAFE, HOPEFUL HEALTHY THROUGH HEALTHY B THAT WE CALL PEACE BROKERS.
THOSE PEOPLE WORK AT THE INTERSECTION OF NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, INTERVENTION AND MEDIATION, AND THEN ALSO FAMILY SUPPORT AND REFERRALS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREDIBLE, UH, REPUTATIONS AND INFLUENCE WITHIN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REALLY WORKING TO INTERVENE AND MEDIATE SOME OF THOSE, UH, BEFORE THEY START.
I DON'T WANNA PUT ONE OF OUR INTERVENTIONISTS OR PEACE BROKERS ON THE SPOT, BUT I DID SEE HIM STANDING OVER THERE.
SO I DO WANT TO ASK MR. CEDRIC HARGRAVE, WHO WORKS IN DISTRICT SIX TO COME OVER.
UH, MR. HARGRAVE HAS REENTERED SOCIETY AFTER SERVING, I THINK 27 YEARS, 23 YEARS INTO SOCIETY.
AND THE FIRST THING THAT HE DECIDED TO DO, UH, BEFORE HE WAS EVEN ABLE TO COME TO WORK RELEASE IS TO WORK WITH US IN THIS PROGRAM TO SERVE THE YOUTH IN HIS COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS MR. CEDRIC HARGRAVE THAT WORKS IN DISTRICT SIX.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'VE DONE 146 INTERVENTIONS, PREVENTIONS AND MEDIATIONS WITH AT LEAST 19 OF THESE TAKING PLACE WITHIN EBR SCHOOLS.
SO THAT TEAM DID 146 OF THOSE.
AND THEN WE DISPATCH TO 136 INCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO BPDS DISPATCH.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US.
AND IF A GUN VIOLENCE INCIDENT HAPPENS, WE DISPATCH THE TEAM OUT TO RESPOND TO THAT INCIDENT.
UH, THEY'LL ALSO WORK WITH FAMILIES AFTER AN INCIDENT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO RETALIATION IF WE THINK THAT THERE'S ANY CONCERNS WITHIN THAT, THEY'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE SUPPORTS AND VICTIM SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY TAKE THOSE.
WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST AND THEN WE'LL, UH, GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE REPORT? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.
AND, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU GUYS.
[02:35:01]
YOU, DEPUTY CHIEF, MENTIONED THE DECREASES IN GUN VIOLENCE, THE NUMBERS PARISH WIDE, UH, NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS, AS WELL AS FATAL SHOOTINGS.I WANT TO ANSWER FROM BOTH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE THE BRPD, WHAT DO YOU PERSONALLY ATTRIBUTE THESE DECREASES TO? UH, FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT, I, I THINK, UH, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH, UH, I ONCE SAID THAT, UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD WAS, UM, PEOPLE FORGOT WHAT THE TRUE MISSION WAS.
AND INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHAT THE MISSION IS, EVERYBODY WANTED TO TAKE INDIVIDUAL CREDIT.
AND THAT'S NOT A MENTALITY THAT THESE PROGRAMS AND THE, UH, THE STRATEGIES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE OVER THIS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT NOT WORKING IN THOSE SILOS AND COMBINING OUR EFFORTS.
AND ONCE WE DID THAT, I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING WHAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW.
UM, IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A WHILE AND YOU HOPE WE LIVE IN SOUTH LOUISIANA.
DON'T WANT TO USE A COOKING ANALOGY, BUT, UH, ONCE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING MIXED, YOU HAVE TO ALLOW IT TO WORK, TO BAKE.
AND, AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW IS SOME OF THE FRUITS OF THINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND WE'RE STEADY IMPROVING ON IT JUST AS WE COOK.
WE NEED TO TASTE WHAT WE'RE COOKING TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T NEED TO ADD SOMETHING ELSE IN FILLING THOSE SPOTS.
AND PERSONALLY, THAT'S WHY I THINK YOU'RE SEEING WHAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW.
DON'T GO, DON'T GO NOWHERE THOUGH.
DEPUTY CHIEF, UM, I'LL SHARE THAT.
I DO THINK, UH, TO DEPUTY CHIEF'S POINT, IT IS THE COLLABORATION, BUT NOT JUST BETWEEN AGENCIES.
IT'S ALSO COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
JA AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO KIND OF SIT AT THE INTERSECTION OF WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE ARE, BOTH CIVILIANS AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS HAVE OPENED THEIR ARMS TO US.
THEY SHARE, THEY SHARE DATA, INFORMATION.
AND WHAT I WANT TO SHARE FOR THE PUBLIC THAT'S LISTENING, THAT IS A ONE-SIDED COMMUNICATION.
MEANING THAT WE ARE NOT HERE TO HELP POLICE SOLVE THEIR CASES.
WE ARE HERE TO PREVENT THE NEXT INCIDENT FROM HAPPENING.
SO THEY SHARE DETAILS AND DATA WITH US SO THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT NO FURTHER INCIDENTS ARE HAPPENING.
AND ALSO THAT WE ARE, UH, BEING MORE PREVENTATIVE WITH OUR YOUNG ADULTS AND STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE OTHER OPTIONS IN HOW THEY LIVE THEIR LIVES AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO OFFER THE TIME FOR JA TO SHARE BECAUSE SHE HAS A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE SHE'S A DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM.
PLEASE DO IT JA, FOR YOUR SURE.
I WOULD, UM, REITERATE WHAT COURTNEY IS SAYING IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, UM, IN THE WORK, UH, OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE HAD, UM, HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COME TO THE TABLE AND ARE READY TO DIG INTO THIS, AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I THINK THAT'S A SHIFT THAT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR CITY, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO FEEL LIKE THEY REALLY CAN AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE AND WORK DIRECTLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOME CASES.
SO I THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN, UM, WHAT'S BEEN PIVOTAL.
DON'T GO INTO, I HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS, BUT DEPUTY CHIEF, YOU SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT NOT ONLY THE DECREASES IN IN GUN VIOLENCE, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DECREASES IN TURNOVER RATE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? UM, I WILL SAY, UM, THAT ONE, IT'S TRICKY.
UH, IT'S TRICKY FOR THIS REASON.
UM, THE DAY YOU'RE HIRED, YOU PRETTY MUCH KNOW THE DAY YOU'RE GONNA RETIRE.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, UM, SOME OF IT IS JUST TIMING.
UH, THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, I THINK, UH, JOB SATISFACTION.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INCENTIVES PUT OUT.
UM, WE, WE CAN OPENLY TALK ABOUT PAY RAISES.
UH, NOW, UH, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT DIDN'T TAKE PLACE FOR A VERY LONG TIME WITHIN OUR AGENCY.
AND, AND I THINK, UH, ALL OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR THOSE AND APPROVED, UH, THOSE PAY RAISES, UH, FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S JUST A TRUE SENSE OF SERVICE AND, AND, AND AGAIN, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE, UH, THAT'S KIND OF PAYING OFF RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND, UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? GIMME A DOUBLE NICKEL ON THIS ONE.
UH, DEPUTY CHIEF SPECIFICALLY USED THE TERM HOLISTIC, AND I ACTUALLY HAVE THAT WRITTEN DOWN IN MY NOTES, UM, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW ACTIVE I'VE BEEN IN THE WORK WITH YOU GUYS AND JUST COMING FROM NORTH BATON ROUGE AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, HAVING A DIRECT, UH, VIEW AND IMPACT ON, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS OF SOME OF THE CRIMES THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PREVENT.
UM, SO I KNOW VERY WELL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING ON THE GROUND, BUT I ALSO, COURTNEY AND JA, I WANT YOU TO SPEAK TO NOT ONLY THE, THE PARTNERS HERE LIKE CAPS AND TRUTHS AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE OTHER PARTNERS, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS
[02:40:01]
PLAN AND THIS APPROACH HOLISTIC, WHICH IS APPROACHING, UH, CRIME REDUCTION AND CRIME FIGHTING AND GUN VIOLENCE AS MORE OF A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND NOT NECESSARILY A LAW ENFORCEMENT CRISIS, SOMETHING THAT'S BEING EMBRACED ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.SO CAN YOU JUST KIND OF TOUCH ON, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE DOING THIS? WE'RE, WE'RE THIS IS, THIS IS NOW A BEST PRACTICE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THERE'S A REPORT THAT CAME OUT FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, UH, TODAY THAT I'LL SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU THAT SHARE THAT.
UH, VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN 13% ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM 2022 TO 2023.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST DRASTIC DECREASES THAT THEY'VE SEEN IN ONE YEAR.
BUT IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, UM, WE'VE SEEN A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROTECTING AND SERVING IN THE WAY THAT THEY NEED TO.
BUT THERE'S AN INVESTMENT THAT'S BEING MADE IN COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT OFFERS THAT.
UH, WE CANNOT POLICE OUR WAY OUT OF VIOLENCE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, GIVEN SO MUCH NEGATIVE INFLUENCE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO POSITIVE INFLUENCES.
SO THIS PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH OFFERS JOB TRAINING, EDUCATION, UM, TRANSPORTATION, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THERE ARE FAMILIES THAT HAVE HAD GENERATIONS OF A NEGATIVE INFLUENCE THAT THEY'VE HAD.
AND THERE'S ONE PERSON WHO'S MAKING A DECISION TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILY.
SO WHEN WE SAY TO SOMEONE PUT DOWN A GUN, WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND WHY.
WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM OTHER MEANS OF SAFETY.
WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM OTHER MEANS OF DECISION MAKING AND SOMETHING THAT WE CALL COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY.
BATON ROUGE IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT IS DOING THIS WORK THROUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IN COMMUNITY.
I KNOW IT OFTEN SOUNDS THAT WAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SELLING, UH, THESE INITIATIVES, BUT IT'S REALLY ADOPTING PRACTICES THAT ARE WORKING JUST LIKE YOU WOULD TRY TO CURE COVID-19.
WE'RE TRYING TO CURE VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL.
IS THERE MORE TO DO? ABSOLUTELY.
BUT WE HAVE MORE, WE NEED MORE EDUCATION.
UM, WE NEED MORE PUBLIC SERVICES THAT WE'RE OFFERING TO PEOPLE.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE ALLOWING US TO DO, AND WE'RE SEEING THE RESULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M GONNA TOUCH ON SERVICES, UH, REAL QUICK, BUT CAN I KNOW NEWARK AND CAN YOU RUN OFF SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES? YEAH, SOME OF THE CITIES FOR SURE.
UH, BALTIMORE JUST HAD A 25% DECREASE, UH, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, WHO'S BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS FOR DECADES.
WASHINGTON DC UM, ATLANTA IS ANOTHER CITY THAT'S ALSO DOING THESE COLLABORATIVE PIECES AS WELL.
MIAMI, I MEAN, THERE'S LOTS OF CITIES OF ALL SIZES THAT WE'RE DOING THIS WORK WITHIN TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA IS ANOTHER ONE THAT'S DOING GREAT WORK AS WELL.
AND I WANTED TO, TO LAY THAT FOUNDATION AND REFERENCE ALL OF THAT BECAUSE JUST IN MY OBSERVATION WITH US, YOU KNOW, THE ITEMS COMING BEFORE US, THE, THE, THE NEW PARTNERS, THE COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE SEEN OR HEARD THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HAD QUESTIONS, COULD THIS WORK? WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THE OUTCOMES? YOU KNOW, IS THIS GONNA REALLY WORK? ARE WE JUST THROWING MONEY AT SOMETHING AND WE'RE NOT GETTING RESULTS? SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF CONCERNS, A LOT OF DIALOGUE, AND I JUST WANNA SHOW THAT ONE, THAT IT IS WORKING AND TWO, THAT THERE ARE OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE BRACING THIS, THIS APPROACH AS A BEST PRACTICE.
BUT BEFORE MY TIME RUN OUT, GOING ON TO SOME OF THE SERVICES, ONE OF THEM, JA, UH, COURTNEY, I WANT TO ASK YOU GUYS ABOUT IS THE VICTIM SERVICES SPECIFICALLY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE? I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE BURIAL ASSISTANCE, I'VE HEARD SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT.
CAN YOU KIND OF TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE SERVICES AND SOME OF THE HANGUPS OR HICCUPS WITH THE, WITH THE BARRIER SERVICES ASSISTANCE IN SPECIFICALLY? SURE.
SO, UM, OUR PARTNERS ALONG WITH OUR, UM, CONTRACTED STAFF WORK IN PARTNERSHIP, UM, WITH EBR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHO IS THE HOLDER OF THE MAJORITY OF KIND OF DOLLARS THAT COME FEDERALLY TO THE STATE.
UM, VOCA DOLLARS AROUND, UM, VICTIMS' REPARATIONS.
AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS OFFERING SUPPORT, OF COURSE, FOR WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, BURIAL, BUT IT ALSO COVERS, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION, POSSIBLE RELOCATION OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, CLOTHING OR FOOD LOSS OF PAST EARNINGS AND CHILDCARE.
AND THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE GRAPPLING WITH, RECENT VIOLENCE ACTS, ACTS OF VIOLENCE DEAL WITH, RIGHT? AND SO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS THE CAPACITY TO PAY FOR THOSE THINGS, BUT THERE'S A PROCESS.
AND SO OUR STAFF, ALONG WITH, UM, PARTNERS UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS.
THEY HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH MS. JANE WOODS WHO WAS OVER THAT AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND HELP WALK THEM THROUGH THAT.
UM, AND HERE'S THE CHALLENGE THERE.
UM, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT BURIAL, THEY ARE ONLY ABLE, THE, THE PARISH, THE EBR UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS ONLY ABLE TO PAY UPFRONT $500.
UM, I SHARED ONE WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN HURST.
THE COST OF A FUNERAL RECENTLY FOR A, UM, VICTIM RUNS, YOU
[02:45:01]
KNOW, UPWARDS OF $8,000 AT LEAST.AND IN THE HOMES, THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, PAY ON THE BACK.
THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO PAY THAT AFTER THE FUNERAL.
THEY WANT YOU TO PAY THAT BEFORE IT HAPPENS.
SO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS ABLE TO GIVE $500 AND THEN THEY CAN REIMBURSE AFTER MONTHS.
UM, AND SO ON OUR END, WE ARE OFFERING OR HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OFFER SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPORT, UM, OVER SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
UM, SAFE, HOPEFUL, HEALTHY ALONG WITH PARTNERS HAVE OFFERED AROUND $7,000 OF SUPPLEMENTARY VICTIM SERVICE SUP SUPPORT THAT HAS BEEN INCLUSIVE OF SUPPORT WITH BURIAL SUPPORT, WITH RENTAL, UM, ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
UM, AND SO BEFORE MY TIME RUNS OUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO IS THE POINT OF CONTACT? DO THEY CONTACT THE SHERIFF OFFICE OR YOUR OFFICE TO GET THESE SERVICES? SO THE POINT OF CONTACT IS, UM, EITHER THAT'S, THAT'S HONESTLY THE ANSWER.
WELL, WELL, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE THAT THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE.
THEY ARE, YOU CAN'T GET THESE ASSISTANCE IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF A CRIME.
ARE YOUR FAMILY'S A VICTIM OF A CRIME? CORRECT.
MANY OF OUR SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, THE PUBLIC DON'T KNOW ABOUT 'EM.
SO I WANNA MAKE 'EM AWARE OF THESE.
AND YOU MENTIONED THE PROCESS, LIKE MOST THINGS DEALING WITH GOVERNMENT, THERE IS A PROCESS.
SO TAP INTO WHAT DEPARTMENT? SAFE HOPE FOR HEALTH.
AND WE WILL CONNECT YOU TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR OR OUR STAFF WHO CAN HELP YOU WORK WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR YOU CAN TALK, YOU KNOW, TALK DIRECTLY TO JANE WOOD'S OFFICE AT UM, EVR SHERIFF'S.
THAT'S ALL YOU GOT, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
DON'T, DON'T STRUGGLE COUNCIL MEMBER.
I CAN SAY IN DISTRICT 10 THAT WE'VE SEEN SOME RESULTS, BUT DEFINITELY WE CANNOT GET SATISFIED.
BUT WE HAVE SEEN SOME RESULTS, SOME GOOD STUFF.
AND SO WE DEFINITELY, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT SILOS, SO WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO WORK IN THAT.
AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF TALK, UH, COMING UP HERE ABOUT CRIME.
WE'VE HEARD IT FROM OUR GOVERNOR.
WE'VE HEARD IT FROM OUR MAYOR, THOUGH THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN TENANTS THAT WAS DISCUSSING.
SO I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY, AND WE TALK ABOUT COLLABORATION.
AND SO I'M ASKING, UM, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ON THAT LEVEL IN ORDER THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SAYING WAS WE GOING TO DO MORE IN 2004? AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT TRUE COLLABORATION IN ORDER THAT WE CAN DO MORE, NOT JUST FOR OUR CITY, BUT FOR OUR STATE AS WELL.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I THINK THERE'S MANY LAYERS, UM, THAT ARE HAPPENING AND THAT NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
ONE IS ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE OF IT, AS JA MENTIONED, THE VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE DOLLARS DO NEED TO MODERNIZE.
I'LL BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT.
THAT WOULD SIT WITH THE STATE HOUSE.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO EDUCATE OUR STATE LEGISLATORS AS WELL OF, UM, SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT VICTIMS ARE HAVING, UH, PEOPLE ON THE GROUND ARE ACTUALLY HAVING, AND THE TROUBLE AND CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE WITH ACCESSING VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE BECAUSE IT, IT IS NOT SERVING THE COMMUNITY TO THEIR NEED.
UM, WHILE THE SERVICES ARE THERE, IT'S NOT SERVING THEM TO THAT SPACE.
SO THAT'S ONE LEVEL OF COLLABORATION THAT COULD HAPPEN.
ADDITIONALLY, I KNOW MAYOR BROOME, UM, AND EVEN LESLIE, WHO WORKS WITH CJCC HAVE WORKED TO LOOK AT, UH, COURTS AND THE REPEAT OFFENDERS THAT WE'RE HAVING.
A LOT OF YOU, YOU'VE HEARD EVERYONE SAY IT, THAT THIS 6% THAT ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THOSE AREAS.
SO CONTINUING TO DO THE WORK IN THAT SPACE TO HAVE THE LAWS AND THE NEW GUN LAWS THAT ARE REQUIRED AND NECESSARY.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT ANKLE MONITORS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF PEOPLE ARE BONDED OUT OR THEY GET A BOND THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS AND KNOW WHERE THEY ARE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE RETURNING TO COURT.
SO THERE'S SO MANY LAYERS THERE, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE STILL HAPPENING.
BUT WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BEAT THE PAVEMENT.
TO YOUR POINT, WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED.
WE WILL NOT LEAVE ANY STONE UNTURNED AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK AS FAR AS ALL OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THERE'S A LAW ENFORCEMENT MEETING THAT HAPPENS REGULARLY TO TALK ABOUT THIS VERY THING, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATION THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE FOUR GOALS THAT I MENTIONED.
WE ALSO HAVE A MONTHLY ECOSYSTEM MEETING WHERE ANY COMMUNITY PARTNER OR ANY CITIZEN THAT WANTS TO COME TO THE TABLE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY LED STRATEGIES CAN JOIN US RIGHT NEXT DOOR AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY EVERY THIRD TUESDAY.
THAT MEETING'S FROM FIVE TO SEVEN 30.
I WILL SAY THAT IT IS NOT A MEETING JUST TO MEET SUMMER OF
[02:50:01]
HOPE CAME OUT OF THAT ROOM.THE GRANT PROGRAMS COME OUT OF THAT ROOM WHEN YOU ALL REFER YOUR RESIDENTS TO COME THERE.
WE FIGURE OUT WHERE WE NEED TO CANVAS WHAT HOMES MAY BE OF CONCERN WITHIN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT HAPPENS EVERY THIRD TUESDAY FROM FIVE TO SEVEN.
AND ANYONE CAN GO TO SAFE HOPEFUL HEALTHY BR.COM TO SIGN UP TO GET, UH, ATTENDANCE TO THAT MEETING AS WELL.
AND WE DO OFFER DINNER BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE THERE WORKING FOR A LONG TIME.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, COURTNEY, DEPUTY CHIEF, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
UH, I THINK ALL OF, YOU KNOW, WE SEE FAR, FAR, FAR TOO MUCH CRIME IN DISTRICT SEVEN, PARTICULARLY IN BROOKSTOWN, EDON PARK, FAIRFIELD, UH, AND GEORGIA STATE'S COMMONLY KNOWN AS EASY TOWN.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN WORKING WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO LIVE IN THOSE AREAS TO FACILITATE SOME OF THE EVENTS THEY'VE TRIED TO, UH, HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE THERE.
UH, WE HAVE THIS SAYING AT THE SCHOOL WHERE OUR WORK BE PLEASED, BUT DON'T BE SATISFIED.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO DO.
OUR HOPE IN OUR EFFORTS IN 2024, UH, WE THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE ENGAGE, UH, THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUTH EMPLOYMENT.
UH, I DO KNOW AND WANT TO THANK THOSE FOLKS THAT EMPLOYED VR UH, FOR WORKING, UH, WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE EMPLOYED.
WE DO NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE PAYMENT.
'CAUSE UH, OFTENTIMES $10 IS NOT ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF FAMILIES.
AND WE KNOW A LOT OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ARE ON THEIR OWN AND ARE IN NEED OF, UH, LIVABLE WAGE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES.
AND, AND, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING REVEREND AARONSON SAID A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN TERMS OF LIGHTING, UH, AND A NUMBER OF THESE AREAS.
AND SO, UH, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO DEPLOY LIGHTING RESOURCES, UH, IN AREAS LIKE EDEN PARK, IN EDGEWOOD ESTATES AND BROOKSTOWN, PARTICULARLY IN BROOKSTOWN, WHICH IS A, AN A, A VERY UNDERSERVED AREA, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT.
NONE OF US KNOW WHEN AN ACT OF VIOLENCE IS GONNA TAKE PLACE.
UH, BUT I THINK THOSE OF US WHO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY ARE OFTENTIMES AWARE OF CHALLENGES THAT MAY EXIST.
UH, IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU, UH, CAN PREDICT WHEN SOMETHING IS GONNA, UH, TAKE PLACE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC IN OUR DEPLOYMENT OF RESOURCES, UH, WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE, UH, THAT, THAT THERE IS A PRESENCE.
'CAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN, UH, WHEN THERE IS A PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SCHOOLS, ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, HAVING CONVERSATIONS, INTERACTING IN THE LUNCHROOM AND INTERACTING ON THE PLAYGROUND WHEN THEY SEE THEM IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE'S A DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP THERE.
SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO FACILITATE THOSE MM-HMM.
AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THERE COULD NEVER BE ENOUGH POSITIVE ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, FROM, UH, KIDS SWIMMING, LEARNING HOW TO RIDE BICYCLES, UH, ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
UH, I LOVE TO SEE THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE COME BACK WITH, UH, MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL FOR AGES BETWEEN 18 AND 24.
UH, I LOVE TO SEE, UH, MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO PLAY GOLF OR WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE TO TEACH THEM HOW TO PLAY GOLF.
I LOVE TO SEE THE BASEBALL LEAGUE COME BACK.
UH, WHEN WE HAD KIDS PLAYING BASEBALL SOME LONG, WE, WE TYPICALLY DIDN'T SEE AS MUCH VIOLENCE TAKING PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY SOME YEARS AGO.
SO AGAIN, UH, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THAT WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
UH, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF CONTINUING TO DO THIS WORK.
WE SHOULD NOT ARREST UNTIL WE HAVE ZERO HOMICIDES IN CITY.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND WE SHOULD NOT ARREST UNTIL EVERY FAMILY FEELS HIS OR HER CHILD CAN GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, HAVE FUN WITHOUT A FEAR OF BEING, UH, HIT BY A STRAIGHT BULLET.
SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO, TO DO THIS WORK.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY CHIEF, UH, MY FRIEND MYRON DANIELS, FOR, FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT FRIENDSHIP MEANS SOMETHING TO PEOPLE LIKE ME.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMAN? NO.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ECHO SOME OF THE SAME, UH, COURTNEY AND JA AND DEPUTY CHIEF DANIELS GREAT REPORT, UH, VERY THOROUGH AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S EFFORTS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT WHEN WE, UM, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, IEP AND THE INDIRECT DOLLAR, UH, INVOLVEMENT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
BUT I BELIEVE IN, IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HOLISTIC APPROACH AND, AND UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES AND, AND DOING THIS KIND OF WORK, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THOSE AREAS TO CURBING VIOLENCE.
I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S A POVERTY, UH, CONNECTION THERE.
AND I THINK, UM, TRYING TO HIT ON EVERY ASPECT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALL COMING FROM ONE PLACE AND FOR ONE REASON.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MULTIFACETED APPROACH AND Y'ALL ARE DOING GREAT
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WORK, AND IT'S, IT'S NOTICED.AND, UM, I, I JUST APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALL'S EFFORTS BECAUSE IT, IT MATTERS TO THE ENTIRE CITY PARISH, NOT JUST THE AREAS THAT ARE, UH, SEEN AS THE, THE MOST VIOLENT AREAS, BUT THERE'S AN INDIRECT DOLLAR APPROACH WHEN, WHEN IT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SPILLOVER ON THAT.
AND SO IF WE CAN IMPROVE THOSE AREAS AND IMPROVE THE ENTIRE CITY PARISH.
UH, AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA TO ADJOURN.
I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, AS ALWAYS, OUR CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES FOR STAYING HERE WITH US, COMING BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
WE KNOW SOME OF YOU COULD'VE RETIRED, UH, BUT YOU CHOSE TO STAY ON FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
AND WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE DEDICATION TO THE WORK OF THIS CITY.
AS ALWAYS, PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
READ TO YOUR CHILDREN AND WHEN THEY'RE DONE, WHEN YOU'RE DONE READING TO THEM, HAVE THEM READ BACK TO YOU.
LET'S HAVE A GOOD EVENING MEETING.